RESIDENCE 9

History sweeps our nation. From picture postcard villages, with thatched roofs and whitewashed walls, to Victorian warehouses that tell the story of the Age of Industry - what was built in the past still has a huge bearing on the present. It’s a part of what makes our architectural reputation, so it’s no surprise that legislation and regulations are designed to protect buildings of significant interest.

It’s not just ‘listed’ buildings, either. No matter the age or aesthetic, if a building falls within a designated conservation area there are guidelines which must be adhered to. This can include Article 4 directions, which could require planning permission for everything from external windows and doors to roof tiles.

This poses a challenge - how do buildings within these kinds of areas carry out renovations that introduce the latest standards of performance, efficiency and sustainability whilst still retaining their prized heritage aesthetic, and meeting such legislative requirements? By choosing innovative solutions like the timber alternative windows and doors provided by The Residence Collection. Purposefully designed, they’re often specifically suggested by local authority Conservation Officers as a modern, high-performance solution that fulfills heritage expectations at the same time.

Sewell Park Academy

Let’s take Sewell Park Academy in Norwich as an example. The stately, early 20th century building lies within a conservation area designated in 1979, requiring the preservation of features like the original wooden windows - now draughty, inefficient and detrimental to the needs of the modern classroom. The building is also locally listed, requiring sympathetic use of materials to match the original timber construction of elements such as doors and windows.

As part of a wider renovation, 170 seamless weld Residence 9 windows were installed by Homelink Direct Ltd, in Grained White, with Georgian bars matching the original sash timber designs, and external weatherbars used to add historic detailing to the windows. The result is superior acoustic performance, higher security, and greater thermal performance - a much more welcome environment for students to learn year round.

The project received recognition at the G-Awards, winning Best Commercial Project. Andrew Williams of Boudica Schools Trust commented: ‘We chose Residence windows after searching for a product that matched our existing windows as near as possible due to being in a conservation area and having certain restrictions placed on us by the local council.’

Scarborough College

It was a similar story at Scarborough College, spread over a 14-acre site close to the North Yorkshire seaside. The institution has been providing the highest standards of education for over a century, so ensuring a productive, safe and comfortable learning environment for students has always been essential.

Scarborough College has been designated a Grade II Listed Building, requiring careful consideration for any renovation or restoration projects. So replacing doors and windows is a task requiring careful planning and choice of supplier. But once again, The Residence Collection was specified for its authentic timber aesthetic and provided a solution that went above and beyond expectations.

Residence 9 in Grained White with mechanical joints matched the original, crumbling timber sash windows both externally and internally, with black monkey tail handles introducing the heritage look and feel students have been used to over the decades. As with Sewell Park Academy, the result was superior across all standards of performance - acoustic, thermal, security and sustainability. In a time of rising fuel bills, institutions like Scarborough College will benefit greatly from better insulated windows and doors, with maintenance-free construction that should last a lifetime.

Both examples demonstrate perfectly the options The Residence Collection provides for updating and renovating historic buildings with high performance timber alternatives, whilst maintaining the aesthetic and historic elements that meet local conservation requirements, and preserve the look and feel of the building for future generations.

To find out more about the R9 range, and The Residence Collection, visitwww.residencecollection.co.uk.

To vote for The Residence Collection in the Timber Alternative category, visit the National Fenestration Awards website.