Brandon Yard

The site had been abandoned for nearly 40 years and contained the ruins of two Grade-II listed buildings, West Purifier House and Engine House.

AWW had previously designed and delivered sister project Purifier House and the Boathouse next door, making Brandon Yard the last piece of the regeneration jigsaw for this part of the city’s Floating Harbour.

The aim was to breathe new life into the Grade II listed buildings and to create individual modern living spaces which encapsulate the industrial history of the site, which lies opposite the SS Great Britain.

This sensitive regeneration of the former gasworks site has delivered 58 one, two and three bedroom, stylish and sustainable apartments.

As well as ensuring the sympathetic restoration and conservation of the listed buildings, the project incorporates a new residential building and significant improvements to the surrounding public realm.

The works at Engine House include the retention of the chimney, a notable feature of the site. The impact of the lighter, more contemporary aesthetic enables the heritage buildings to stand out.

We were selected for this project because of our experience in converting and renovating heritage industrial buildings and our design skills in creating attractive contemporary apartments.

The new apartment building, Retort House, enjoys generous areas of glazing facing onto the courtyard, harbour facing balconies, terraces and a sleek floating roof. The carefully selected materials of brick, stone, glass, zinc and aluminium provide a palette which complements the monumental quality of the old stonework.

Named after the magnificent circular windows, much of the external structure of Oculus House (the former West Purifier House) dates from the 19th century. AWW’s modern intervention of a long, glazed roof gallery offers dramatic contrast between lightness and strength.

The Engine House has been converted into two superb houses that conserve much of the original brickwork.

The historic buildings have had full replacement of double glazed windows and a significant depth of insulation to the walls, making them very energy efficient. The new build Retort House also has the benefit of enhanced U-values to the external walls, while photovoltaic panels are fitted to the flat roof.

The courtyard provides a social and recreational space for residents. The banding pattern is carried through into the distribution of hard and soft landscaping, with areas of planting providing structure, variety and texture. Benches for public use have been installed, providing places to sit and enjoy views across the Floating Harbour.

This project has created significant financial investment in the Bristol area. Through the Community Infrastructure Levy, the Brandon Yard scheme contributed £519,000. These payments will help fund infrastructure, facilities and services such as schools or transport improvements. An off-site affordable housing contribution of over £398,000 has also been made.

Within Brandon Yard, an attractive communal landscaped courtyard has been designed. This not only offers residents a place to relax, but also opens up the harbourside walkway, enhancing the area overall.

The listed structures onsite today - Purifier House, Engine House and the Boundary Wall along Gasworks Lane and Lime Kiln Road - were constructed some 200 years ago in the early part of the 19th century. Having stood derelict for over 40 years, these buildings were in desperate need of rescuing from final dilapidation and collapse.

Working closely with design team members Architectural Stone, we were able to ensure the best possible solution was implemented to protect and retain the original building. Samples of stones were brought to site and trial areas created to consider suitability within the historical fabric.

Additional constraints on the design included providing flood protection measures for the listed structures as well as the new build. This involved conducting extensive repairs and patching of the original stonework, restoring rather than replacing worn-out or damaged historical elements.