18 news feature CASE STUDY
industrial poor and the fact that in those days, only local residents were allowed access to medical treatment. Bristol General Hospital first opened on the
site in 1858, making a grand statement with its Italianate stonework and French Renaissance rooftops. The new hospital cost £28,000, with much of the funding coming from local workers, who gave a penny a week towards building and running costs. The original building began as two four-storey
blocks joined by a central tower. One block faced Bathurst Basin, while the other faced the New Cut. In 1873, the northern block was extended, then in 1886 a new nurses’ home was wrapped around the corner to Guinea Street. This was sub- sequently extended again in 1907. These four phases largely represent the work of W.B Gingell, a local architect known for his elegant warehouses and churches, and George Herbert Oatley, Bristol’s most renowned architect. During World War II the hospital suffered
severe bomb damage, which irreversibly damaged the mansard roof over the octagonal tower in the southwest corner of the building. As a result the roof and top floor, including that of the octagonal tower, was removed entirely and replaced with a flat roof. The 1916-1919 metal balconies were also removed due to bomb damage. After an additional accommodation block was
added to the east of the site in 1925, the final expansion took place in 1931 with construction of the William Lloyd Unit on Commercial Road. The remainder of the 20th Century development of the site has been characterised by ad hoc addi- tions, infills and extensions, which lacked any sense of vision or formal masterplan. Bristol General Hospital finally closed its doors
in 2012 after the planned South Bristol Community Hospital opened and the services were transferred. In June 2012, City & Country acquired the site.
Restoration
Bringing a much loved but badly damaged com- munity asset back to life was never going to be easy. It was a highly demanding brief, which required an expert team of construction professionals with an in-depth knowledge of the building and an appreciation of its unique character. From the outset, a detailed demolition and
removal programme was devised to strip away modern additions, which included shipping con- tainers affixed to the first floor of the 19th century building. After careful planning and preparation, work began in September 2013. This included removal of asbestos, the external lift shafts and the unsightly water tank, which had been added in place of the original Ogee Dome. Other external additions to be removed included redundant steelwork staircases, railings
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and associated components. Removing later unat- tractive additions was the first challenge, the second being to repair and restore where they had been attached to the listed building with little or no care. Substantial sections had to be rebuilt and repaired and the team paid attention to ensure that repairs blended seamlessly with the original building. A new drainage and communal heating system has also been installed to serve the new development. The Ogee Dome, destroyed during the war,
also presented a huge architectural challenge with plans for it to be replaced with a zinc-clad replica this year. City & Country believe the reinstate- ment of the Ogee Dome and other features are fundamental in restoring this iconic building. The
mansard roofs are also now in part reinstated. Further challenges lay in structural instabilities
in the basement areas. This included the chapel and scorched roof trusses, which remained unre- paired after the WWII roof fire. The traditional Lodge House, situated at the entrance to the development, also required significant stabilisation. Stoneworks to repair existing stone vaulting
was required to allow the subdivision of the com- mercial units planned for the ground floor. The dark basement is now taking on a currently in- vogue industrial feel, and has been designed for a range of commercial uses. Internally, the existing ward floors in the oldest part of the building were constructed from an
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