Restoration Information
Watts Gallery Trustees are pleased to announce that a new building contractor, Blenheim House Construction, has been appointed for the Hope Project to restore the Gallery and provide access to enable more people to enjoy the unique collection and setting of G F Watts’s work and life. Building work will now resume on site, with immediate effect.
Negotiations with the administrator of R J Barwick Construction Services Ltd were finalised today after a six- month process to novate the original contract to a new building contractor. Blenheim House Construction has recently restored heritage buildings in Guildford, London and Liverpool. Mike Curtis, Director of Blenheim House Construction said, “we are delighted to be able to start work on such a prestigious building of international interest”. To find out more visit their website at www.bhcltd.co.uk.
R J Barwick went into administration in August 2009 amid the pressures of the economic climate. The delay to the project and the loss of income has created extra costs of over £1m. The Heritage Lottery Fund has provided their support and guidance and, together with some very generous funders, we have met some of these extra costs. Unfortunately we still have a shortfall of over £250,000 to meet our emergency Hope appeal target.
We are very grateful to all our donors and all those who have invested in the future of the Gallery. I do hope that many of you will be able to visit during the year for a hard-hat tour to witness progress, make new discoveries and attend events, as well as enjoy the refreshments provided by the restored Tea Shop at Watts Gallery which re-opens at Easter.
The Hope Project will be completed by the end of this year and we hope to reopen to our visitors and supporters in the first half of 2011. We thank you in particular for your patience, support and understanding.
Perdita Hunt
Director, Watts Gallery
Wednesday 17 February
The architects for the Hope Project to restore Watts Gallery are Zombory-Moldovan Moore, with Purcell Miller Tritton as conservation architects.
Zombory-Moldovan Moore
Zombory-Moldovan Moore is committed to creating exciting, innovative space for contemporary life. The practice designs spaces for living, for the arts and for pleasure. The practice was selected by the Architecture Foundation as one of Britain's best young practices.
Purcell Miller Tritton
Architecture | Creative Conservation | Strategic Planning
Purcell Miller Tritton are first and foremost a firm of architects who enjoy the process of designing buildings and seeing the process through so that the vision is constructed and handed over for use. Some of the work they carry out is for new buildings on Greenfield sites, however their main body of work over the years has been associated with sites and buildings that have special historic significance. This includes an enormous spectrum of work.
The Restoration in Photographs - click any of the images to see them larger
The parquet flooring has been removed for treatment. The wooden structures supporting the two large paintings previously displayed at either end of the Gallery have been removed.
This corridor was built to allow the apprentice potters access to their accomadation from the pottery without walking through the Gallery. This corridor will allow users of the Learning Studio to access the Gallery, through a picture slot.
This space was previously divided by a stud wall to create additional picture storage. It has now been opened back up and will be accessed from a balcony which leads from the new showcase gallery.
This space will be called the Richard Jefferies Interpretation Gallery at the request of a major funder of the Hope Appeal to recognise the contribution of the previous curator of Watts Gallery.
Click here to see more photographs of the restoration of Watts Gallery