Heritage

The key concept of reclamation and ‘working with the existing’ is centred around the idea of ‘deconstruction’ followed by ‘reconstruction’ rather than demolition. With very little material leaving the site, the vast majority of all building fabric from the snooker room can be deconstructed,
sorted, cleaned if necessary and then used within the proposed construction. The best part of the building fabric (breezeblocks / concrete / bricks) will be used as aggregate within new concrete, minimising build cost whilst maximising ecological design.

The process of deconstruction + reconstruction can be seen as a labour of love for the community, with the aim of coming together to create a newly regenerated Miners Welfare. There is a high value in reclaiming certain aspects of the building, through an ecological approach as well as cost during the project lifespan. By keeping the project firmly on-site delivery costs are saved as well as fuel.

The project can provide education and training in labour for the local community, as they seek to ‘mine the building’ for its fabric. The project approach is centred around a circular economy, a concept that should be maximised on any building site. Despite the economic impact being minimal for overall build cost, there is a rich sentiment for building heritage in reclaiming aspects of the building for re-use.

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