Helston Town Band purchased the old school building around 30 years ago. In this time the modern single block extension (an old carpenter’s workshop) was upgraded for the band rehears in this space.
The highly successful band needed a better facility, so South West Community Builds were appointed to review 4 different options: –
- Renovate the historic building, replace the large modern single block extension with a small extension to include kitchen, small rehearsal rooms, office, and toilets.
- Knock down all the buildings on the site and relocate a new purpose-built building to the rear of the site.
- Remove the extension, sell the historic building for housing to fund the new building at the rear of the site.
- Sell the whole site for housing and relocate to an industrial park, purchase the land, and make a custom building.
Of these options it was decided that the band wanted to stay within the town centre and remaining on the site was a high priority. The old section of the school was built with local granite and can only be described as a beautiful building however, it has not been used for several decades.
The building itself is just wide enough for the band to perform in, and the main space could be used for 2 band rehearsal spaces.
The key elements to include as part of the design work in the building are: –
- Large rehearsal that could be a performance space large enough for 100+ audience and the full band.
- Kitchen and bar
- Rehearsal spaces
- Instrument storage
- Music storage
- Office
Removing the single concrete block extension and designing a smaller, but better designed one, would enable the design to meet the above requirements, and increase the car parking as well as making the building look more in keeping with the surrounding area.
The building is not listed, but it was felt that the building deserves to be renovated without losing its charm. Upgrading windows will not only improve thermally but will also make for better sound. Even the original fireplaces for the classrooms will be worked into the scheme and the granite stonework will be retained.
The project will include: –
- Cornish Lime thermal render (inside)
- Installation of roof insultation above the original trusses
- Remove and reuse the majority of the slates on the roof
- Insulate the floors
- Repointing in lime, on the external elevations
- Installation of a balcony for seating and better utilisation of the space
- Improved (variable) acoustic treatments
- Installation of in-roof solar PV panel
- Installation of air source heat pump with underfloor heating
- Install thermal and sound blocking windows
- And of course, remove the old extension and rebuild a thermally efficient one.