One Passage Street
Heritage preservation
Innovative commercial design balanced with heritage preservation.
Project Description
Located adjacent to the iconic Bristol floating harbour, the aim of the project was to gain planning permission for a uniquely designed Grade A office building that will serve as a visually appealing and sustainable commercial facility.
The site is located near the Redcliffe Shot Tower, a Grade II Listed building built in 1969, standing at 43.3m The tower was originally used for producing lead shot until the 1980s and features a distinctive The site was previously occupied by an outdated office building from the 1980s.
Developing this site would create an attractive, sustainable commercial facility that enhances the surrounding area and respects its historical context.
Details of Our Work
We were engaged for our expertise in providing a Townscape Visual Impact Assessment (TVIA) and Verified Views that assess the potential impacts of the proposed building on the surrounding townscape character and views.
Working closely with the architect, our primary task involved assessing 15 key views within the city, utilising a combination of AV2 and AV3-Verified Views. This informed the TVIA and accurately portrayed the site to planners within the chosen views. Our focus was on providing a non-critical assessment of the design, highlighting its positive, negative, or neutral impact on the townscape. The project’s heritage consultants also prepared a heritage assessment to assess whether the new design could be harmoniously incorporated the existing 1960s shot tower without obscuring it. Our Verified Views were used to evidence the visual effects on heritage context.
The project involved multiple design stages and close collaboration with AWW, Macgregor Smith, and Cotswold Archaeology was crucial throughout the design and assessment process.
Location
- Passage Street, Bristol
Client
- Architects - AWW
Collaborators
Landscape Architects – Macgregor Smith
One Passage Street Bristol View Proposed AVR1
One Passage Street Bristol View Proposed AVR3
One Passage Street Bristol View Existing
One Passage Street Bristol View Baseline
One Passage Street Bristol View Proposed AVR1
Project Highlights
The design features a terraced structure with integrated planting and a combination of unique materials. It incorporates multiple tiers and curved corners, clad in green tiles with a variety of textures, reflecting the movement of water in the surrounding area. The innovative design pays homage to the historic architecture of the , neighbouring heritage assets and key views, while promoting vibrant activity alongside the harbour.
Key challenges included ensuring the new building complemented the existing heritage context and met the visual expectations of stakeholders which included Historic England and Design Review Bristol.
Conclusion
Planning approval was granted for a 106,000 sq ft office space, marking a significant step forward in the project.
This project emphasises the importance of collaboration, supported by Verified Views and assessment, to demonstrate that creative architecture can respect its historical context. It serves as a valuable case study for similar commercial developments aiming to balance innovation with heritage considerations.
