13th Century a tower renovation with timber structure. Clifford’s Tower by Hugh Broughton Architects
18/04/2022.
[York - England] UK
metalocus, JAVIER ARIAS
metalocus, JAVIER ARIAS
Clifford’s Tower by Hugh Broughton Architects. Photograph by Christopher Ison.
Clifford’s Tower by Hugh Broughton Architects. Photograph by Dirk Lindner.
Project description by Hugh Broughton Architects
Our work for English Heritage at Clifford’s Tower, in the centre of York, demonstrates our skills in designing technically challenging and appropriate interventions within the context of a Scheduled Ancient Monument, improving access and visitor facilities whilst fostering better interpretation of the site and Monument’s history.
Following a design competition, Hugh Broughton Architects, working with conservation specialists Martin Ashley Architects, were selected to repair historic fabric and create enhanced visitor facilities at Clifford’s Tower. The brief required an ‘inspiring and sensitively designed new structure within the historic monument’ with improvements to access, interpretation and facilities for visitors and staff. The project includes vital conservation works as well as architectural improvements which enhance the visitor experience.
Clifford’s Tower, standing on a tall earthen mound, is the largest surviving structure from the medieval royal castle of York. The stone tower was built in the mid-13th century but has stood as a roofless ruin since a fire in 1684. The Tower sits next to three Grade 1 listed buildings grouped around the Eye of York. One of English Heritage’s most visited buildings, the tower is an evocative survival from the medieval castle and offers superb views over the city, but previous facilities were poor, and visitors often described their experience as ‘underwhelming’.
To address the shortfalls in experience and facilities, a timber structure has been installed to partially cover the ruin and provide fantastic viewing and activity space at roof level. Suspended metal walkways give access to previously unseen features at first-floor level, enhance access to the roof and help celebrate the ruin. The structure of the intervention rests on a raft foundation, which spreads load without impact on archaeology within the tower.
The existing stairs up the motte are steep and have no intermediate landings or stopping points. To improve access, several options were explored in consultation with stakeholders, specialist consultants and members of the public, leading to the adopted strategy to improve the existing stairs by introducing additional handrails and three resting points to the sides.
An enlarged public area at the base of the motte incorporates interpretation and accommodates an English Heritage-branded Piaggio, with an interior designed by HBA, for the sale of tickets and guidebooks. It offers a ground-level place to engage with visitors, including those unable to ascend the tower.
The design was developed in consultation with multiple stakeholders both within English Heritage and Historic England and in the wider city community including the Museums Heritage Trust, York Civic Trust, City Council and the Conservation Area Advisory Panel.
Hugh Broughton Architects was formed in 1996 and has a reputation for producing carefully crafted contemporary architecture. The practice has designed projects for many high profile clients including the British Council, Institution of Structural Engineers, National Galleries of Scotland, Royal Society of Chemistry and the TUC. It is best known for the design of Maidstone Museum East Wing, which was completed in 2012 and received a RIBA Downland Award, three AJ Retrofit awards and a Civic Trust Commendation; and Halley VI Antarctic Research Station designed for the British Antarctic Survey, which was officially launched in 2013 and has received fifteen international awards to date. It is an extraordinary project which has led to numerous other international polar commissions and is the subject of a new building monograph published by Park Books in 2015.