Castel Vecchio

Carlo Scarpa, 1964

The renovation was completed in three phases, starting with the oldest wing, The Reggia Wing, built in the 14th Century. Scarpa approached the design like all other projects, carefully analysing the existing and then stripping it to the essentials before adding a contemporary layer of facilitating design. Finally, parts were demolished to reveal alterations made to the building resulting in a historical layering and intervention, Scarpa’s additions acting as a link. The community fulfilment centre follows a similar approach, stripping away the inappropriate additions yet still acknowledging the scars they’ve left and serving as a link, tying and exposing the many alterations made to St Marys over time.

 
 

Layered elements and False Facade

 
 

Layered Intervention and Framed Views

 

Dunfermline Carnegie Library

Richard Murphy, 2017

The design envisages a museum, art galleries, local history archive, a reading room, childrens’ centre, café and meeting rooms lying alongside, and integrating with, the world’s first Andrew Carnegie Library, a Grade B listed building.  In the design, an interior top lit street organises all circulation and services. Murphy is heavily inspired by Scarpa’s works which some ideas can be seen here. Murphy layers planes of materials to create thresholds and views. As a result, the design is sensitive to its context, emphasising it through layering.

 

Carlisle Cathedral Pavilion

Feilden Fowles, 2020

The new pavilion by Feilden Fowles has been the most significant physical intervention to the cathedral for more than 150 years. A new entrance to the refurbished Fratry hall and undercroft has been created, reached through a newly built red sandstone entrance pavilion and link structure connecting old and new. The pavilion is located to the northwest of the Fratry, on the site of the former west range of the original Augustinian priory cloister aiming to recreate the atmosphere. The pavilion reintroduces a reflective and sheltered public space at the heart of the cathedral precinct and city. In addition, it creates an intimate connection with its surroundings by taking cues from the cathedral's gothic additions and its red sandstone. The Community Fulfilment Centre aims to create a similar connection, using the same granite material and structural rhythm as St Marys. However, upon visiting the cafe, the internal layout is not as successful as the exterior. The servery is placed almost centrally in the plan, not allowing comfortable circulation of the space, which creates a feeling of awkwardness when purchasing food. This was taken into consideration when designing the Old Bank Cafe.

Abstraction of Rhythm

 

Abstraction of the Vernacular