Chapel on the Hill Tha Taigh Saor-Làithean by Evolution Design

Chapel on the Hill Tha Taigh Saor-Làithean by Evolution Design is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2016 Duais Airgid A' Design Award in Dealbhadh Ailtireachd, Togalaichean agus Structaran Competition Category.

AirgeadAiltireachd· 2016

Chapel on the Hill Tha Taigh Saor-Làithean

by Evolution Design

Client: Evolution Design

Duais Airgid A' Design Award Winner in Ailtireachd Category

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Colors

The Design

About Chapel on the Hill Tha Taigh Saor-Làithean

Às deidh dha a bhith na fhàsach airson còrr is 40 bliadhna, tha caibeal Methodist briste ann an ceann a tuath Shasainn air a bhith na dhachaigh saor-làithean fèin-fhrithealaidh dha 7 daoine. Ghlèidh na h-ailtirean na feartan tùsail - na h-uinneagan àrda Gotach agus prìomh thalla a ’choitheanail - a’ tionndadh a ’chaibeil gu àite comhfhurtail agus comhfhurtail le solas an latha. Tha an togalach seo bhon 19mh linn suidhichte ann an dùthaich dhùthchail Shasainn a tha a ’tabhann seallaidhean farsaing de na beanntan cas agus an dùthaich bhrèagha.

The Recognition

About the Duais Airgid A' Design Award

Tha Chapel on the Hill Tha Taigh Saor-Làithean air Duais Airgid A' Design Award a bhuannachadh, aithneachadh gu math urramach a bheirear do dhealbhaidhean den chiad ìre, àlainn agus drùidhteach. Tha buannaichean Airgid nan obraichean anabarrach boillsgeach agus gu math cruthachail a nochdas sàr-eòlas, tàlant agus geurchuis an luchd-dealbhaidh. Thathar an dùil gum bi Chapel on the Hill Tha Taigh Saor-Làithean na obair mhìorbhaileach, na sàr-eisimpleir a tha gu sònraichte proifeiseanta agus gu domhainn ùr-ghnàthach. Tha an dealbhadh seo a bhuannaich Duais Airgid A' Design Award na innleachd glè fhaicsinneach, ion-mholta a bhrosnaicheas crìochan ealain, saidheans, dealbhaidh agus teicneolais. Tha Chapel on the Hill Tha Taigh Saor-Làithean na chruthachadh air a bheil mòran eud, a dhùisgeas miannan, a bheir faireachdainnean math agus a thogas iongnadh is miorbhail.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: After standing derelict for more than 40 years, a dilapidated Methodist chapel has been brought back to life by being converted into a modern holiday home for 7 people. The great achievement of this conversion is the way it retained the original characteristics of the chapel - the tall Gothic windows and the main congregation hall. Combined with a modern but sensitive interior design, the old chapel was resurrected to a beautiful, harmonious and comfortable space flooded with natural light.
Dimensions & Packaging: The Chapel has two floors: the ground floor and the mezzanine floor. Total floor area is 141 m2.
Tags: Chapel conversion, chapel reconstruction, chapel renovation, boutique holiday home, holiday cottage, UK, Forest-in-Teesdale
Production Technology: During the conversion, all main connections (water, electricity, sewage treatment) were installed. To retain the original look, the historic stonework was preserved and the roof tiles were recycled. New wooden window frames were installed to match the original windows. The building was insulated to be sustainable and comfortable for guests. In the interior, roof trusses were retained with natural finish. The use of tiles on the back wall complemented the generous ceiling height and spaciousness.
Design Challenge: At a very early planning stage it became clear that there was not enough space on the ground floor for all required rooms, therefore a mezzanine floor was proposed. Yet, to insert another floor without obstructing the Gothic windows meant designing the mezzanine floor above the window line, which gave the challenge of limited headroom on the first floor. To ensure the upstairs rooms function well, a 1:1 mock-up was built to test the new layout worked in full-scale.
Research: As it was important to retain as much of the original look and feel of the chapel as possible, numerous researches were conducted, including ecological and structural surveys and heritage appraisal. Also a research about the local neighborhood and traditional materials was carried out. The results of these surveys were later used in the sensitive development of the conversion design concept.
Inspiration: This beautiful chapel built in 1880 with great proportions and elegant architectonic details is located in a picturesque rural neighborhood with panoramic views to the North Pennines. The main inspiration was the raw beauty of the landscape and the amazing open horizon and the chapel sitting in the midst of it. Enabling visitors to experience this amazing spectacle combined with the history of the chapel was the driving force of this conversion.
Project Duration: The renovation project started in December 2013 and finished in May 2015.
It should have taken 12 month but took nearly 18 month due to the severe weather conditions. The contractors often had to stop work, as it was impossible to work in the driving rain and gale force winds. Location: Forest-in-Teesdale, UK.
Operation Flow: The house is operated as a self-catering holiday cottage.
Image Credits: Chris Humphreys