A high standard of design for the new Museum of Technology

Location:
Old South Eau Bank, Throckenholt, Spalding, Lincs.

A brand new design for the Museum of Technology in the village of Throckenholt, as well and porch extension to April Cottage, exhibiting a high standard of design with inclusion and accessibility.

Overview

This unique project sees the proposal of a new museum and extension to the existing cottage on the acquired site as directed by the national government, whilst being sympathetic to surrounding neighbours within the village of Throckenholt.

Brief

Having purchased this site, which was formally a small holding and garden land for April Cottage our team was brought in to create a commercial space fit for use by the public and extend the space used privately by the clients at April Cottage. By introducing a new facility for the local population, the new museum will also enhance the sense of community in this area, whilst attracting new visitors to the area.

Solution

Our expert architectural team created a new museum in a barn style to reflect the surrounding area, as well as a porch extension to the existing cottage. The method:

Natural barn style featuring, black rainwater goods and a mixture of overhanging and corbeled eaves and corbelled verges, casement windows and red brickwork to the walls
Wheelchair access throughout the museum
A large front door with a level access threshold for entrance
Outward opening door to the disabled WC
Minimal windows and a new side access with a roller shutter door to protect the artefacts
Protect existing trees onsite during construction with permanent fencing
Parking for 10 new spaces, taken from April Cottage. A hard-surfaced area from the parking area leads to the main entrance
Erect a new 1.8m brick wall between the new museum and the existing dwelling to protect existing boundaries
Dusk ‘til dawn security lighting over the rear patio and front parking areas

The full story:

A striking dwelling tucked away in the village of Emneth, this project on Holycroft Road began when our client made the decision to realise their dream of creating an environmentally friendly home that prepared them for the future.

The Museum of Technology is run as a not-for-profit organisation and is funded and run entirely by volunteers. We brought onto this project because the museum had outgrown its old premises in Hemel Hempstead and therefore needed brand new premises for its ever-growing collection, allowing its safety for future generations.

A special development of a new museum on an existing piece of land that already houses a cottage was sought in the village of Throckenholt, Spalding, Lincs. It was the intention of our client, Mr Cass and Ms Hourihane, trustees of the museum and residents to the existing April Cottage that we introduce an ‘agricultural style’ building for the museum. The client also requested an extended porch, reflecting the existing detailing on April Cottage.

Throckenholt might seem remote within a triangle between Spalding to the North, Peterborough to the South West and Wisbech to the South East. The A1, A16, M1 & M11 are all a short distance away, while the A47 which is the road from the Midlands to the Broads and Great Yarmouth is also within reach. This is considered the ideal location to allow the museum to be accessible to the widest range of people.

Creating the right architectural structure for the museum, as well as a porch extension for April Cottage

Crucial to this project was the development for one new two-storey museum and one new single storey porch extension to an existing dwelling on this land. The layout of this site exists in so far as April Cottage is to remain and the proposed museum will be situated in the approximate position of the existing barn which was demolished as part of this proposal.

After initial consultations with Gill Dewhurst, the planning officer at South Holland District Council and with the client, the project began with the demolition of the existing old barn to make way for a purpose-built museum for the vast array of early technology artefacts.

Sympathetic design was at the core of this, with the museum taking on architectural aspects of the area itself with a red brick barn appearance to balance the aesthetic appeal of the Victorian era, whilst remaining contemporary.

The form of the building, an agricultural barn style, reflects the location of the site, local context and style of surrounding buildings. We designed the new building to incorporate features which will link it to the surrounding buildings. These features include black rainwater goods and a mixture of overhanging and corbeled eaves and corbelled verges, casement windows and red brickwork to the walls.

A thoughtful barn style red brick museum with inclusion and accessibility throughout

Internally, the museum size, layout and accommodation provide good quality, modern accommodation for both the artefacts and the users of the building. We designed this building so that it can accept visitors and guests by appointment only, therefore controlling the amount of people who will be on site at any one time.

The new museum and porch extension have been constructed in a way that has minimal impact to neighbouring properties in terms of overlooking and massing. Additionally, to the south of the site, an existing dyke and trees provide screening, which remained unaltered for the sake of preservation of nature and privacy.

The new building and porch extension are designed to have minimal impact on the neighbouring properties in terms of overlooking and massing. There is, to the South of the site, an existing dyke and trees which provide screening, these are to remain unaltered.

This project is an exceptional example of how it is possible to respect the existing site and surrounding area, whilst creating the right architectural structure that reflects the history of a new museum that now exists.