Architecture buffs might recognise the brutalist cathedral in Clifton, Bristol by its distinctive, irregular, elongated hexagonal floorplan. What many don’t know however, is that the iconic building has been suffering from water leakages for years, due to its large, striking lead roof not being entirely watertight. Enter architecture and heritage experts Purcell, who have just unveiled their careful repair work to the building’s historical fabric, rendering the cathedral fully watertight for the first time ever.
The structure, also known as Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Paul in Clifton, Bristol, was originally constructed between 1969-73 to a design by Ron Weeks of the Percy Thomas Partnership, and is a Grade II* listed monument.
Due to the building’s sensitive and historical nature, Purcell worked closely with all relevant parties and the Lead Sheet Association to ensure the greatest care is taken when carrying out the repair works. The latter was heavily involved because the pitched roof required the majority of the works – some 86 tons of replacement lead. It was the largest lead roofing project in Britain at the time of its creation.
Making a key architectural monument fully operational again, while safeguarding it for the future, Purcell also aimed to respect its characteristic original style and concrete aesthetic. ‘Our conviction was for the building to become watertight, and safe and open for use, but also not to lose any of its rigour and quality as a superb exponent of the late brutalist era’, says the company’s partner in Bristol, Clifford Martin. ‘The works have been undertaken with the intention to both repair and protect the building, and to magnify and celebrate its original design and detail.’
And there’s one more twist to this success story. A condition of the project’s funding was that it opened up parts of the building to the public that has previously been inaccessible, such as the gallery over the iconic baptistery, and a staircase that had previously been sealed off. This way, visitors can enjoy the structure both as a monument and for its religious services, in the best possible way.
See more cutting-edge religious architecture around the world
Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Paul in Clifton is now fully watertight for the first time.
The building was originally constructed between 1969–73 to a design by Ron Weeks of the Percy Thomas Partnership.
Today, the concrete composition of the Clifton cathedral Grade II* listed.
The space is well known for its fairly modest, ‘theatre-like’ composition.
Purcell took care to maintain the structure’s concrete aesthetic.
The necessary works prevent further deterioration to the building fabric.
The main space features a distinctive irregular, elongated hexagonal plan.
A condition of the project’s funding was that it opened up parts of the building to the public.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of Purcell
-
First look: Western Mongolia meets Kew Gardens in John Pawson and Oyuna Tserendorj’s cashmere throwsArchitectural designer John Pawson and cashmere designer Oyuna Tserendor have collaborated on a cashmere throw collection inspired by Pawson’s 70m Lake Crossing in the Royal Botanical Gardens
-
How to buy art: the accessible new marketThanks to a growing pool of art advisers, digital intelligence and collector groups, buyers are better equipped than ever
-
The coolest design-led coffee shops in SeoulSeoul counts more coffee shops per capita than any other city in the world – cut straight to our six must-visit spots
-
A new exhibition marks Chandigarh’s modernist legacy‘Celebrating the Capitol’, an exhibition of photographic work by architect Noor Dasmesh Singh, opens just in time for the famed modernist Indian city’s anniversary
-
Join our tour of London Zoo, its modernist architecture and moreLondon Zoo is a well-established magnet for younger visitors, but there's plenty for the architecture enthusiast to admire too; our tour explores its modernist treasures for guests of all ages
-
La Grande Motte: touring the 20th-century modernist dream of a French paradise resortLa Grande Motte and its utopian modernist dreams, as seen through the lens of photographers Laurent Kronental and Charly Broyez, who spectacularly captured the 20th-century resort community in the south of France
-
Elemental House adds a Danish twist to a 1970s London houseArchmongers' Elemental House transforms a 1970s terraced house in London's Hackney into a functional, light-filled, Scandinavian-inspired family home
-
'Mid-Century Modern Masterpieces' captured in new monograph like no book before'The Atlas of Mid-Century Modern Masterpieces' chronicles hundreds of iconic structures from this golden age of architectural expression
-
East London's disused gasholders are being reinventedRegent's View by RSHP reinvents a pair of disused gasholders in east London as contemporary residential space and a publically accessible park
-
The 2024 RIBA Reinvention Award, Muyiwa Oki, and making reuse ‘more special than ever’The shortlist for the 2024 RIBA Reinvention Award has been announced today; we caught up with the institute’s president Muyiwa Oki to discuss the honour
-
Meticulously detailed London mews house unveiled by Ampuero YutronicMarket Mews, a London mews house, is a hymn to modern minimalism, executed with precision and skill to make the most of a tight site in the heart of the capital
