Albany Palace, Trowbridge, Garden, Extension, Bifold

The Albany Palace

The Albany Palace

Trowbridge

A former Victorian cinema KDPA sought to bring back to life some of the glamour and imagination associated with The Albany Palace when extending and re-designing this popular pub in the picturesque town of Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

 

Extending the pub into a neighbouring plot provided the opportunity to form a characterful courtyard garden overlooked by an impressive double height space for diners.

 

Using local stone and traditional construction methods KDPA designed a walled garden that respected the historical surroundings whilst offering patrons a picturesque environment in which to drink and dine in the finest tradition of the pub garden.

In part of its re-design of the original pub KDPA introduced a new bar with detailed panelling and tall brass light fittings referencing the sense of occasion that the original Victorian foyer would have created.

 

The prominent position of the new bar also served as a visual reference point looking over an impressive high-ceiling, open plan dining area, re-designed to act as a unified and vibrant social dining space with a renewed sense of history and purpose.

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Albany Palace, Trowbridge, Garden, Extension, Bifold
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Photography: © Pippa Hudson Photography

The Blackwater Stream

The Blackwater Stream
Broadstone, UK

Project Value: £60k

Located in Broadstone, just outside of Poole in Dorset, this pub benefited from a large wrap around beer garden with mature shrubs and trees forming a natural boundary to the site. The garden required an overhaul to make it more accessible and to reduce maintenance costs. Temporary gazebo structures had been in place for some years following Covid restrictions and so a need for more permanent shelters was apparent. KDPA were tasked with bringing the garden up to spec with a minimal budget of £60k. We spent the budget wisely by retaining as much as much of the existing features as we could. The existing steps were cut back to allow for a new accessible ramp improving access to all customers to the beer garden.

Existing paving was cleaned and lifted and re-laid where required to minimise new groundwork. The metal framed entrance was replaced with an oak framed rose arch to help soften the approach to the pub, this will be planted with climbers. A mature cherry tree was brought into focus by creating a fixed drink shelf around its trunk and forming a feature resin bound floor around it. A new timber framed pergola was positioned at 45 degrees to the main entrance to provide sheltered fixed seating and guide customers to the entrance which is hidden, tucked round the corner of the shopfront. Inset stepping stones lead you round to a previously unused South Facing passageway which we have widened and added a pergola to provide an extension to the seating area.

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An Geata Arundel

An Geata Arundel
Waterford, Ireland

Located on Arundel Square in Waterford, this new pub takes its name from the nearby gate of the same name in Waterford’s ancient city wall. Long-since demolished, the Arundel gate stood in Arundel Lane – immediately north of this site.

 

The pub has been formed through the amalgamation of a distinctive 90’s former Bank to the East and two Georgian townhouses to the West with an infill extension connecting the two volumes.

 

Waterford is world-famous for glass making. The making of glass in the city dates back more than 200 years to the late 18th century, when the brothers George and William Penrose assembled the finest craftsmen – glassblowers, glass-cutters and engravers – in what was known as the ‘Waterford Glass House’.

Throughout the building there are references to the ancient Viking discoveries and preserved medieval walls, in the floor finishes and artwork.

Photography: © Pippa Hudson Photography

Yr Hen Dderwen

Yr Hen Dderwen
Carmarthen

This J D Wetherspoon pub is named after Carmarthen’s Old Oak Tree – Yr Hen Dderwen – which stood for over 300 years in Priory Street. It is said to have been planted to celebrate the return from exile of King Charles II.

The Old Oak was Carmarthen’s most famous landmark. Also known as the Priory Oak and Merlin’s Oak, it stood at the junction of Priory Street and Old Oak Lane until 1978, when was removed to St Peter’s Civic Hall. According to legend, Merlin, or Myrddin, was born in Carmarthen (Caerfyrddin) and gave his name to the town. He is said to have cast his enchantments in oak groves and used an oak branch as a wand.

Therefore, in this project the key element is the oak tree as it is a relevant element present in the history of Carmarthen and using local historic references.

For the interior, the choice of colours range from dark green to orange representing the seasons in the leaves, as well as the carpet designed with elements such as leaves and roots, also Merlin outlines can be seen in the carpet hidden by branches. In the furniture representing the growth of the trees are varied shades of wood from light to dark.

An eye-catching element is the tree-shaped column centred in front of the bar, KDPA developed to replicate the idea of gathering the tree branch as they used to do, bringing a sense of community.

Once you have reached the first-floor lobby, glazed double doors open out onto a new extended area with external environments such as pergolas and the terrace.

At the rear end of the building, you will find glass balustrade areas allowing views over the houses and to the hills in the background, with a raised drinks shelf and seats.

The sculptural artwork and a painted panel have been selected to reflect the pub and areas history.

Photography: © Pippa Hudson Photography