HERITAGE CONSULTANCY
Somerset Building Consultants
"AT THE HEART OF EVERY HERITAGE DESIGN PROJECT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THE BUILDING CAN BE CONTINUALLY USED AND CONTINUALLY ENJOYED FOR MANY YEARS TO COME"
We have a strong passion for Heritage projects, with in-house expertise to provide advice, planning, concept design and specification.
As Historic Building Consultants we strive to bring a progressive edge to conservation, and balance heritage with sustainability, integrating new technology with traditional building methodology. A considered yet pragmatic approach to problem solving underpins this, along with a wealth of knowledge and past experience with conservation and regeneration projects to historic homes, unique heritage structures and churches.
Heritage services we offer include;
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Listed Building Consent Applications - click to find out more
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3d Visualisation of Listed Buildings - click to find out more
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Advice and consultancy of remedial and restoration projects
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Project coordination utilising a network of skilled consultants
BALANCING HERITAGE & SUSTAINABILITY
When it comes to the fabric of historic buildings we favour ‘hands-on’ conservation to truly understand materials and techniques that are specified, encouraging active participation for staff and students to promote continued education. Heritage skills initiatives are important to us and we look for ways to include community outreach in suitable projects.
We understand the importance for defining the 'spirit of place' and how a particular environment is directly influenced by the human values projected onto it. This underpins our critical analysis of historic buildings during Heritage Studies and carries significant influence on design decisions.
Each project has a different past and unique challenges in the way it can be altered. Therefore, the execution of each project has to be bespoke. Proposals must not only protect and enhance historic qualities, but also adapt and reuse existing elements. To assist with this, most of our heritage projects include 3d visualisation at an early stage, which helps to fully interpret our ideas and their impacts, and proves invaluable during the planning stage and dialogue with Conservation Officers.
At the heart of any heritage project is the importance of ensuring that the building can be continually used, and therefore continually enjoyed, for many years to come.
As the world evolves and people change, so does the built environment. It’s a common misconception that conservation is about the preservation of buildings in their entirety. Institutions such as Historic England, SPAB and charters such as ICOMOS emphasise that buildings must not just exist but also continue to be in use. Therefore, an innovative approach to conservation is key.
Creativity, perseverance, experience and skill are required to take on any major refurbishment, particularly when factoring in sustainability and climate change.
Whilst heritage buildings are often listed, that doesn't mean that more modern unique buildings are less valued, they are just less time-proven. Whilst we are Historic Building Consultants we also aim to look outside of listing status and consider the reuse of all existing buildings, particularly those which can no longer perform as they should.
With every new project we have a responsibility to design and shape our environment with anticipation of the future. It’s important that our designs are not only robust and adaptive, but also connected with people.
