Mount Pleasant is a beautiful, listed structure located in the heart of the picturesque Peak District. Built in the 19th century but derelict since a fire in 1993, renaissance came together with Phi Architects and Poulter Architects to bring a new lease of life to the stunning heritage setting.
Converting the old chapel into a contemporary residential space while preserving the historical essence of the heritage asset was an interesting challenge and one that yielded an inventive solution.
Let’s explore.
Project Background
After recognising the architectural potential and historic value of the site, the private buyer put forward a vision that would see Mount Pleasant return to its former architectural glory.
With significant damage and structural failure, a large amount of remedial work was required to get this project into a habitable state. The roof was gone and the crumbling frame required urgent attention.
It’s fair to say there were challenges ahead from the outset but nothing considered engineering and clever design couldn’t get around.
Design and Structural Approach
Initially, the project aimed to incorporate the chapel’s existing walls into the new house. However, this approach proved complex and costly, prompting a rethink on the best way forward.
The solution the design team eventually landed on involved constructing a self-contained house inside the chapel’s shell. Leaving the chapel out of the structural body of the house made the challenge of producing a modern intervention while safely preserving the historical structure much easier to attain.
This approach aside, we still had to address the chapel’s structural integrity, particularly the front elevation which leaned significantly forward due to the lack of support from floors or a roof. We designed a discrete support frame to stabilise the façade, using slender steel elements that provided the necessary reinforcement without visually dominating the distinctive heritage features.
A blend of old and new
Preserving the chapel’s heritage value was a cornerstone of the project. The design followed best practices in heritage conservation, namely being minimally invasive and working to accentuate the heritage elements present on the site.
While there’s clearly a blend of the historic and the modern, these two facets are complimentary of each other, each tastefully accentuating the features of the other.
A renewed purpose for Mount Pleasant
After standing unused for so long, Mount Pleasant is renewed with purpose, standing strong even after 100 years of use. While the main structure will play home to a high-ticket super home structure, the nearby Sunday school (also part of the site) will see renewed use as a local café.
At renaissance, we’re always passionate about working with heritage structures and Mount Pleasant was no different. With a bright future ahead for the location, we’re proud of the work we did and look forward to another 100 years of the old chapel standing firm.
Images courtesy of Phi Architects
