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The new vicarage and church hall
is the most exciting new development at COC since its triumphant
rebuilding. The project has been meticulously supervised by
one of Britain's leading architectural firms, John Simpson
& Partners. Their rather daunting brief was to combine
a traditional vicarage with a thoroughly modern church hall
that could be used for anything from a formal wedding dinner
to a children's Christmas party. Added to that were the pressures
of acutely limited construction space, the historical nature
of Old Church Street and highly complex planning requirements.
By working closely with Peter Elvy and the Churchwardens the
architects have created a superb solution.
The new vicarage is a traditional Georgian buff and red brick;
with a handsome portico entrance flanked by Ionic pilasters.
Those who remember Peter's study with the bay window will
be pleased to know that a similar bay has been recreated.
The entire façade is in line with Old Church Street
and surrounded by classic wrought iron railings to create
a unified and harmonious image. The Petvt House parking area
has become a landscaped garden leading directly to the new
church hall.
The church hall
itself is a graceful buff brick building built on classical
lines. Three French doors with fanlights above echo the stone
cornice, with its frieze of windows alternating with Roman
triglyphs. It is a wonderfully light and airy conception.
One imagines summer wedding receptions, with all the doors
thrown open onto the garden as guests pass easily from church
to hall. There is an imposing main entrance, with Doric fluted
columns in warm, honey-coloured Bath stone. This blends in
beautifully with the Yorkstone paving used to connect the
hall and church. Once inside, guests are greeted by a grand,
winding stone staircase, perfect for brides to throw bouquets
from. It leads to the upper floor gallery, where the excellent
COC library resides. The ground floor is devoted to the spacious.,
panelled reception room, featuring wood floors inlaid with
American Walnut, and a high coffered ceiling illuminated by
French Neo-classical chandeliers.
The elegance of the design cleverly belies a wealth of 21st
century high-tech requirements. For example, tucked cunningly
above the plasterwork rosettes on the ceiling is a sophisticated
ventilation system, designed to keep fresh air circulating
throughout the building. Down in the basement, a state of
the art kitchen is capable of accommodating receptions for
at least 100 people. This is achieved by a meticulously planned
catering system using heated trolleys and lifts to get food
quickly from kitchen to reception. As Project Manager Michael
Simpson explained; "you don't have to sacrifice classical
design for modern improvements". He knows what he is
talking about. The practice is renowned for its ability to
marry the best of the past with the demands of the present.
As champions of classical Georgian architecture in the Soane
tradition, John Simpson & Partners have had a series of
highly acclaimed commissions. One of the most prestigious
is the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace, which was completed
later in 2001. Recently, they won the coveted Royal Institute
of Chartered Surveyors Conservation award. As Michael Simpson
puts it, "we tend not to get involved with aluminium
and glass".
Their work on listed
buildings has been praised by the Prince of Wales, who had
them create a traditional Bath stone market building in Poundbury
village. With their unerring eye for detail and passionate
perfectionism, John Simpson & Partners set an extremely
high standard. "Nothing is worse than something slightly
wrong" admits Michael. "The greatest pleasure is
when the building is completed and our client walks away from
it saying 'Great!'.
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