West Berkshire Museum Redevelopment Project – Consultation Begins

Following a successful first round application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in 2010 West Berkshire Council appointed Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams Ltd as architects for the redevelopment project.  Also part of the project team is Houghton Kneale Design Ltd who are responsible for the design of exhibition, display, interpretative and learning content. These two teams have been working with Museum staff over the last few months on the design ideas for the redeveloped museum.

The public are invited to see their ideas and comment on the proposals during a consultation period which kicks off at the Kennet Centre, Newbury on Friday 23rd September and closes on Wednesday 12th October. For further details of other exhibition venues across the District or to view an on-line version visit our website http://www.westberks.gov.uk/museumconsultation

NOTES

Aims of the Redevelopment
The Museum needs redeveloping to make it fit for the needs of users and visitors and to deal with problems that have developed over time. We need to:
*     Carry out substantial repairs to the historic fabric of the historic Grade I Cloth Hall and Grade II* Corn Stores at the Wharf
*     Deal with health and safety issues including fire safety
*     Enable all visitors to have full access to all parts of the Museum
*     Create displays, exhibitions and interpretative materials that meet the needs of all visitors
*     Display more of the Museum’s collections
*     Provide facilities for formal and informal learning
*     Improve and increase visitor services and facilities, eg reception, shop, refreshments, toilets. It is also intended to create a new entrance and access hub, replacing the 20th century link building
The theme for the Museum is creating a Sense of Place; this means working with communities to understand what West Berkshire has been, is now and might be in the future.

Funding
The capital costs will be met by a combination of Council funding and external sources. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) made a Round One grant of £84,500 during 2010 towards development costs, eg architect's fees. It is hoped to submit a Round Two application to the HLF for around £990,000 by March 2012.  The Council expects to make grant applications for around £250,000 to funding bodies and the commercial sector. The Headley Trust has already pledged £40,000 towards the project (subject to HLF funding).

Quoted from Administrator

West Berkshire Museum Redevelopment Project – Consultation Begins

* It is also intended to create a new entrance and access hub, replacing the 20th century link building
The theme for the Museum is creating a Sense of Place; this means working with communities to understand what West Berkshire has been, is now and might be in the future.

I'll pop down the Kennet Centre and tell WBC what I think at the weekend. They haven't asked me whether I want them to tear down part of the museum. I'm not sure I do. Apart from that it's good news.

If you're wondering what money was available and how it was spent then here is a potted history.
The RBF&RS fire officer’s enforcement notice in 2008  resulted in closure of the museum while remedial works were carried out, re-opening in October 2008 but with limitations on access. It was clear that the museum collection must be moved into storage but due to access problems that didn’t start until January 2011.
Architectural consultants who were familiar with the building were employed in November 2008 at a cost of £4,660, producing a report, available in April 2009. The report identified a cost of £653,453 to bring the building up to standard. This was no surprise as they had produced surveys in 1994 and 2004, before the new regulations came into force, which gave costings of £500,000 at that time. So, a duplicate report in 2009 for which WBC paid them £4,660 and waited five months for. No clear how much the other consultative reports cost though.
The museum received a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £40,000 in January 2008 which along with a further £25,000 from WBC, allowed consultants to prepare a four point plan. Viz an Access plan, a Audience development plan, a Conservation plan and a Collection management plan.
A further HLF grant in June 2010 of £84,500 matched by a WBC spend in September 2010 of £84,500 gave the museum £169,000 to spend on design consultants for the new build elements, refurbishment display spaces and visitor facilities.
The total costs to WBC were £105,00 with a further £124,500 from the HLF for the consultation costs to the end of 2011.
Public consultation planned for September/October 2011 as reported on the opening post.
The museum, subject to grants being approved is due to open in 2014 and there may be access to the stored, archived paper material, for researchers in 2012 at the storage location. So, if you are researching for post graduate purposes or commercial purposes or whatever, no access until then as has been the case since the documentation section was closed because of H&S reasons. The museum freely admits that there is no adequate documentation catalogue available. This is because “the museum has been open since 1904” and the staff although working to the new SPECTRUM standard recognise there is a backlog but are now working with improved computer systems to achieve the appropriate standard.

Quoted from Administrator

The theme for the Museum is creating a Sense of Place; this means working with communities to understand what West Berkshire has been, is now and might be in the future.

So they're admitting they don't know?


Threep

Quoted from Threepwood

So they're admitting they don't know?  Threep

Oops.  

Here is an architect drawing of the rebuilt museum...standard WBC approach...here's one idea. Do you like it?

They've clearly learnt nothing from the shameful pavilion exercise.

If anyone's in Kennet Centre today, go and tell WBC NOT to start tearing down part of our museum.

Everything else can be accommodated in the building as is though they might have to evict some of the other tenants again.

https://www.westberks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=29065&p=0

Quoted from Muddler

Here is an architect drawing of the rebuilt museum...standard WBC approach...here's one idea. Do you like it?

They've clearly learnt nothing from the shameful pavilion exercise.

If anyone's in Kennet Centre today, go and tell WBC NOT to start tearing down part of our museum.

Everything else can be accommodated in the building as is though they might have to evict some of the other tenants again.

https://www.westberks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=29065&p=0

Or you could always fill in the online form giving your views.

Seems to bizarre to knock an organisation for suggesting what they might do then asking what people think of it, but I guess you can be forgiven for this as you were posting at 5:50am.

Quoted from user23.3

but I guess you can be forgiven for this as you were posting at 5:50am.

Your point?

I'm not sure how keen I am on the slab of white wall in the pic but I'm sure it'll be fine and I like the pebble dash effect.  Better go and have a look at the models later.

Looking a the pic I'd guess that the words 'creative destruction' have been uttered at least once around the conference tables in Market Street while this was being discussed  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_destruction

Quoted from noobree

I'm not sure how keen I am on the slab of white wall in the pic but I'm sure it'll be fine and I like the pebble dash effect.  Better go and have a look at the models later.

Looking a the pic I'd guess that the words 'creative destruction' have been uttered at least once around the conference tables in Market Street while this was being discussed  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_destruction

I agree - and the roof line could be improved!

I like the use of glass, shame they didn't use more on Parkway, it may have looked better with the Park reflected in it. But of course we had WBC's friendly architect with all his leftover cladding!

CALL MY BLUFF

(no longer presented by Robert Robinson)

Ding! and the next phrase is 'honestly modern'


"'honestly modern’ "

This is usually architect speak for "well, we did a design for Hemel Hempstead but didn't get it, so rather than waste it, we're gonna use a bit of it here, even though it doesn't work in with the surroundings.  Still, saves time and money eh?........just don't tell the client, mum's the word"


"'honestly modern’ "

Simple. This is often translated as 'Brutal'. "Last we heard Bale wanted a pyramid, so think yourself lucky chummy".


"'honestly modern’ "

"Look, to be honest mate, we aint got a chuffin' clue, it's a bloody old building with all  wood and stuff, and we're a modern architects office, came as a complete surprise we got the gig in the first place. All we know is glass and steel. Waddya expect? Barry's been up all night on this one".


Will W.B.C be able to tell which is 'True' and which is 'Bluff', or do they not have the vision?


Threep.

Quoted from Muddler

Here is an architect drawing of the rebuilt museum...standard WBC approach...here's one idea. Do you like it?

They've clearly learnt nothing from the shameful pavilion exercise.

If anyone's in Kennet Centre today, go and tell WBC NOT to start tearing down part of our museum.

Everything else can be accommodated in the building as is though they might have to evict some of the other tenants again.

https://www.westberks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=29065&p=0

Are they seriously intending to graft this hideous modern excrescence onto a historic building?

What would Prince Charles say?

Quoted from Muddler

Here is an architect drawing of the rebuilt museum...standard WBC approach...here's one idea. Do you like it?

They've clearly learnt nothing from the shameful pavilion exercise.

If anyone's in Kennet Centre today, go and tell WBC NOT to start tearing down part of our museum.

Everything else can be accommodated in the building as is though they might have to evict some of the other tenants again.

https://www.westberks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=29065&p=0

I like the glass bit, but couldn't they do something about those old tatty bits either end?

Seriously, is this a real proposal?  What is wrong with using architects to design something modest that is commensurate with the surroundings, for heaven's sake!

[quote=28]

I like the glass bit, but couldn't they do something about those old tatty bit either end?

Seriously, is this a real proposal?  What is wrong with using architects to design something modest that is commensurate with the surroundings, for heaven's sake![/quote]

That is the main problem. Architects! They probably have some left over tat from Parkway? Or the only Architect WBC are allowed to use has been on a modernisation course. Glass is the in thing now don't you know? Wooden cladding only to be used until all the leftovers from the Pavillion that has now been denied to Newbury are used.

I think it an outrage that the silly people of Newbury just do not realise what they are going to miss by turning down the most genorous gift of the Pavillion, not to mention all the effort that has gone into designing a Pavillion that would have blended in so well with all the other designs planned for Victoria Park.

This new modern design for the museum, that blends so well with it's historical surroundings, really must go ahead it will enhance the Wharf area and will bring accolades of praise from fellow designers.

Why do they not just get 40 or so bulldozers line abreast at the top of the A339 at the College roundabout and head them straight for the Vodafone roundabout by the headquarters? Job done Newbury properly vandalised instead of doing it in this piecemeal way?

We could then let the Newbury Architect loose and have a Newbury fit for purpose at last with a modern town bristiling with timber, steel and glass that any one who hated old historic towns would be proud to live in.  

Quoted from user23.3

but I guess you can be forgiven for this as you were posting at 5:50am.

Your point, User?