SPIREPROJECT SACREDHEARTCHURCH
ByRobArmsby
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ByRobArmsby
ARCHDIOCESEOFNEWTOWN NEWTOWNTASMANIA
SACREDHEARTCHURCHSPIRE
TheiconicSacredHeartChurchhasbeenafeatureofNewtown,Tasmania, foroverahundredyears.Completedin1880,itwasdesignedbyarchitect HenryHunterinalateEnglishGothicarchitecturestyle.Arenowned architect,muchofHenry’sworksllremainsvisibletodayintheregion.
However,atthemeofconstrucon,theparishwassmallandthetown merelystarngup.Thebudgetaryconstraintsmeantthechurchcouldnotbe completedasiniallydesigned,withthefullspireandchurchbellhavingto beomiedandasmallcapsubstutedinstead.
Fast-forward120years,andtheparish,ledbyReverendFatherTerryYard, startedacampaigntocompletetheunfinishedworks.MCAArchitectswere engagedtodesignthenewspireandchurchbell,developingittoensure accuratearchitecturalrenovaons,andliketheearlyworks,theseworkshad tobeundertakenonastrictandlimitedbudget.Thebudgetconstraints posedanumberofsignificantchallenges.
Thiswasadeeplypersonalprojectforme,asIwasactuallyaprimaryschool studentattheadjoiningSacredHeartCollegeforwhichthechurchserves andhavehadlongeswiththecollege!
Providedtheopportunityofworkingonsuchanhistoricalbuildingand designingin-keepingwiththestyleofsuchaprominentandwell-respected architectasHenryHunterwasquiteanhonorbutalsosomewhatdaunng. However,withthesupportandguidanceofaspecialistarchitectural ecclesiascaldesigner,theprocesswaseasedandalsoprovedtobean enlighteningjourneyforeveryoneinvolved.
Findingoriginaldocumentaontoreferencefordesignanddetailingwas incrediblydifficult,butwewereabletocarefullyexaminethefewdrawings thatwereavailable.Theexisngstructure,thedesignitself,thehidden details,thetheory,thestyle,andthegeometry;athoroughreviewprovided aplethoraofclues.SasfiedthehomeworkwascompleteIfeltquietly confidentwhenfinallypungpentopaperforthenewchurchspire,cross andbelltohopefullybetruetoHenryHunter`s1880vision.
Alongsidetheaddion,wewerealsoabletoundertakeanextensive restoraonoftheproperty,repairingdamagedmasonry,recfyingtherising damp,designinganewambry,andensuringthechurchwasfullyaccessible fordisabledparishionerswithnewentrystairsandramp.
ThefinaldesignensuredthattheSacredHeartChurchandSacredHeart Collegeremainafeatureinthetowncommunityformanymoreyears.
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THECROSS
Tocompletethenewspire,FatherTerryYardtooktheresponsibilityof carryingthe30kgcrossupthefiveflightsofscaffoldingtoitsfinalresng place.
Onceinplace,hecorrectedtheposionandorientaonbeforeitwasfixed intoposion;aerthat,theleadforemanfixedininplaceandourteamand allon-sitecontractorswerereqestednottotouchthecrossagain!
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FROMMILITARYCANNONTO CHURCHBELL
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THESACREDHEARTCHURCHSPIREPROJECT.
THANKSTOMCARCHITECTSFORTHEOPPORTUNITYTO UNDERTAKETHEPROJECTIN1997ANDTOFATHERYARDFOR THEECCLASTICALDESIGNGUIDANCE.
ALLCONSTRUCTIONPHOTOGRAPHYCOURTESYOF MCARCHITECTS,HISTORICALFROMCHURCHESOFTASMANIA ANDPOSTCOMPLETIONPHOTOGRAPHY&PRESENTATION WORKSBY
ROBARMSBY
ARCHITECT
B.ARCHB.ED DIP.PROJMGT DIP.MGT DIP.FACMGT MAIPMCPPM
architect@robarmsby.com www.linkedin.com/in/rob-armsby www.robarmsby.com
ROBARMSBY©ALLRIGHTSRESERVED
ALLPHOTOGRAPHY,DRAWINGS,ILLUSTRATIONSANDCONCEPTS ARENOTFORREPRODUCTIONWITHOUTEXPRESSEDCONSENT.
ALLDRAWINGS,PLANS,SKETCHESANDINFORMATIONETC. INCLUDEDINTHISDOCUMENTAREFORDISCUSSIONPURPOSES ONLY.NOTFORCONSTRUCTION.
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