Heritage Clients

We have experience in developing and detailing conservation and restoration works as well as interior fit-out packages and external works. Many of these projects are Grade II or Grade II* listed.

HSA’s attention to detail and commitment to these projects means that despite often tight timescales and budget pressure, high quality projects have emerged. Sites with heritage considerations always require an additional layer of assessment and scrutiny. This may involve widespread consultation, as well as physical and social assessments of the local and wider area to inform proposals for a site.

We are adept at tackling complex or tricky sites - either through heritage restrictions on new interventions, green belt or conservation area limitations, or physical constraints such as tight sites.

Expertise Across Sectors

Extensive experience in delivering vibrant cultural spaces, commercial businesses, religious venues community hubs, both with listed and heritage buildings.
Proven ability to create commercially viable environments that transform the culture of buildings, fostering lively communities and driving footfall.
Balancing the conservation of building fabric to understand, interpret and learn from our built heritage with not being afraid to be bold with new insertions.
Understanding from experience that additional layer of research and design development is needed from exploring historical narrative to working with specialists.

Specialist and Additional Commercial Services:

Early stage Analysis:
Assessing existing buildings or sites for renovation, expansion, or adaptive reuse.

Natural materials:
Understanding that heritage buildings need to use natural materials that allow the building fabric to breathe correctly. As a team, we are also hugely experienced in sensitively incorporating complex services and AV systems.

Sustainability and Energy Assessment:
Integrating sustainable design strategies and conducting energy performance studies.

Stakeholder engagement and public consultation:
Assisting in engaging stakeholders and driving consultation events.

Consultant Coordination:
Managing input from engineers, planners, and other specialists involved in the project.

Our integrated and sustainably led approach to heritage projects ensures that we deliver high-quality, exciting environments, even when working within restrictive budgets.

If you would like to discuss how we can support you, we offer consultations at our office or via video call. Let’s explore how our expertise can help bring your vision to life.

Park Palace Ponies

“As a novice to the design and build process Harrison Stringfellow made us feel at ease and communicated in way that was completely transparent and in a language we all understood!

They often went beyond what was required to ensure we felt comfortable with key decisions, keeping us in the loop of all aspects of the design process through exemplary project management. The project was completed on time, within a very tight construction budget and we are delighted with the results.”

Jo McGrath, Enterprise Director, Blackburne House

Dovedale Baptist Church

Example Project: The Hartley Hatch and Hut

Forgotten waterfront space turned into ice cream hatch and micro musuem

“Our role in interrogating the client’s brief added value to the project whilst identifying the value of the Hartley Hut for more sensitive uses”

Following a competitive tender by National Museums Liverpool (NML), HSA was appointed to design a café kiosk in the Hartley Hut to support NML’s economic sustainability. Originally designed by dock engineer Jesse Hartley in 1844, the Hartley Hut is one of three octagonal Watchman’s huts built to provide shelter for the men operating the lock gates of the dock.

Our initial studies demonstrated that this would be difficult to deliver without causing harm to the character of the listed fabric due to the lack of servicing to the building. In exploring NML’s commercial requirements, we identified an underutilised corner of the adjacent Victorian Pilotage building (also within NML ownership), which, with its existing service connections and status as an undesignated heritage asset, felt more suited to a potential food and beverage outlet. Taking precedence from the conservation setting and stories of the waterfront, particularly in respect of materials and the sugar story, The Hartley Hatch’s sensitive refurbishment includes a new stained Accoya timber frame and opening ‘hatch’, set within the existing door opening. Brick waste from the minor structural works has been used to form the worktop counter (Granby Rock).

Our role in interrogating the client’s brief added value to the project, successfully delivering the client’s requirement for a food and beverage outlet, whilst identifying the value of the Hartley Hut for more sensitive uses. Works are currently progressing to fit it out as a micro-museum offer, designing an ephemeral exhibition frame within the Hut’s structure.

Relevant Projects