Commercial building refurbishment projects present architects with design challenges. Transforming 18th century Bodmin Jail into a modern hotel meant an acknowledgement of restrictions in relation to the building’s infrastructure. Listed buildings often have construction regulations to preserve historic and architectural interests, impacting thermal comfort and how daylight is introduced to transform building spaces.
These design challenges can make architectural planning appear more complex, particularly when a building is being repurposed. Common challenges include sourcing materials to replicate or meet existing infrastructures. The adaption of floor plans, consideration of user comfort and introduction of technology in planning phases, also influence contemporary design. The Bodmin Jail Hotel required skylight installations that could work within an existing and iconic sloping roof.
Design challenges present creative and sustainable opportunities
Design challenges lead to creative innovations that can be good for the environment, lowering carbon emissions with less materials required. Refurbishment projects are an opportunity to restore existing interiors and building features such as walls and roof structures. Restoration is becoming a more focused field of work for architects who are also thinking sustainably.
Central to the success of transforming the Victorian Bodmin Jail into a luxurious hotel was the incorporation of skylights in communal spaces, such as the corridor and reception areas. The objective was to provide natural light and comfort ventilation in warmer summer months for guests to enjoy. After years of dormancy, Twelve Architects were commissioned to renovate this historic building. A creative team turned rubble and overgrown vegetation into a tourist attraction of comfort and indulgence.
The Bodmin Jail Hotel consists of two wings connected by a tower to form a central atrium. Each wing has been transformed from prison cells into luxury guest bedrooms. Skylights were incorporated into sloping roofs. VELUX Glazing Panels were selected as they are a bespoke solution that could recapture and replicate the original rooflight structure. This refurbishment project marries old and new through innovative design.
Prefabrication and a simple onsite installation
A total of 214 VELUX Glazing Panels were chosen to be integrated onto sloping roofs and form 40° dual pitched solutions. Composed of aluminium frame profiles with triple glazing glass units and sealed with a UV-resistant material, panels provide improved thermal comfort and energy efficiency. In summer, roof modules can be opened to provide ventilation, cooling rooms as warm air rises.
The restoration and redevelopment of existing building infrastructures is essential if wishing to reduce the impact construction has on the environment. The implementation of daylight helps improve well-being, while also contributing to a reduction in energy consumption.
Learn more about this case study on the VELUX Commercial website.
