The Story

Durham, UK - Civic

Restoring the history of Durham.

Formerly known as Durham History Centre, The Story consolidates a number of services including archives, registration, military museum and an archaeology centre, into a refurbished Grade II listed manor house. The Story is testament to the successful amalgamation of local services and heritage preservation.

Client
Durham County Council
Location
Durham, UK
Sector
Civic
Status
Complete 2023
Value
£23m
Area
5,075sqm

A place to uncover history and make your own.

The inspiration for The Story came from Durham County Council’s vision to create an information and public services hub, whilst transforming the building into a destination venue which attracts not only the public but also commercial investment.

Approach.

Our design competition winning approach saw the restoration of the dilapidated Grade II listed manor house, blended seamlessly with a new extension.

Sustainability played a significant role in The Story’s operational strategies, with a focus on low zero carbon technologies. The project showcases the team’s commitment to historical preservation and sustainable design, combining meticulous restoration, thoughtful architectural interventions, and innovative sustainability measures to create a space that honours the past while embracing the future.

A part of people’s stories.

The manor house is now home to all of the registration services, wedding venues, and ceremony spaces, where grandeur can be celebrated. The interior colours and materials were carefully selected to thoughtfully restore and honour the historic features of the building. During the restoration process, the team conserved the stone façade, reinstated parapets, and attended to repairs of the envelope masonry, roof, sash windows and feature staircase.

Established history and hidden treasures.

In contrast to the manor house, the new extension embraces a minimalist colour palette to enhance the vibrant furniture and exhibition elements. The pared back aesthetic is supported by exposed services and bare concrete columns, balanced with the warmth of natural timbers featured in the FF&E and bespoke joinery, adding a subtle layer of elegance to the contemporary design.  

The new, simple glass pavilion is designed in similar proportions. It is split into two functions; a lightweight glass box comprising front of house functions such as the café, exhibitions, and reading rooms, and a back of house area designed to the highest national standards for archives and storage. The archive, storing six miles and 900 years of history, is designed in contrast to the glass pavilion, with heavy set concrete providing the thermal, fire, security and environmental protection needed.   

Project team.

Through the early stages of the project, we supported Durham County Council with various funding applications and helped secure contributions from the European Regional Development Fund towards the renewable energy systems. The developed design stage involved close engagement with the client team and national archive advisors to ensure flexibility, minimal wastage, and adherence to material specifications, including robustness, security rating, fire rating, environmental conditions, dust, and VOC aspects.

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