The Old glassworks, Pot House Hamlet has been short listed for the RICS Pro Yorkshire and Humberside awards 2008. There are now only six schemes to choose a winner from. The Awards celebrate excellence in the built and natural environment. Winning schemes make it to the grand final through regional heats. This vital stage of the RICS Award process involves teams of judges visiting the best projects in their regions. There are 12 UK regional heats and an international heat, where projects are pitted against one another. The 2008 winners will join a long line of inspirational schemes including, the iconic Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, London's Royal Opera House, the Eden Project in Cornwall, and the site of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
The Old Glassworks scheme is part of developing the old farm buildings of Pot House Mill Farm into a small tourist destination. The building has been created almost solely by land owner Mr Tom Horsfield, with a few labourers and contractors to help from time to time. This is what makes the old glassworks an exceptionally unusual and quality build, with great attention to detail. The building has been designed to be in harmony with the nearby buildings on site, traditional material being used throughout. It is a landmark building with a prominent road side position.
The Old glassworks was previously a cottage which was falling down due to mining subsidence occurring in 1970’s. The renovation of the cottage started but it was unsafe so a new building had to be built in its place. Underneath the cottage the remains of the a 17th Century glassworks and 18th century pottery were excavated by English Heritage in 2003, who then deemed the site a National Ancient Monument (No 35494 authorised by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the 12th June 2003). The underground remains were capped off and the building of the Old Glassworks commenced shortly after this. All the stone for the building came from either the cottage or from around the farm, which is iron band honey-coloured stone, with the exception of two large stones donated by Siltstone’s Vicar from the old church alter. These have been placed either side of the main door entrance. Any exposed brick is from old farm buildings. The construction has used old materials from around the farm with the exception of breeze block, granite floor, solid oak for doors and other timber, glass for windows and any modern requirements for plumbing, heating and electricity. The construction replicates 17th century buildings as much as possible and uses lime mortar.The old glassworks is divided into three retail units, Pookie Womenswear, Jt’s Hair salon and the upstairs a shoe shop
Developer/builder/project Manager
Tom Horsfield
Architect
Gordon Wilkinson
The winners of the RICS Pro Yorkshire and Humberside awards last year were 2007:
Building Conservation, sponsored by Newmason Properties
Winner: Myddleton Lodge, Langbar Road, Ilkley.
Commercial, sponsored by Clarion Solicitors
Winner: Hilmore House, Bradford.
Commended: Frenchgate Interchange, Doncaster.
Community Benefit, sponsored by TransPennine Express
Winner: New Bewerley Community School and Children’s Centre, Hunslet, Leeds.
Commended: The Rainbow Centre, Wheeler Street, Hull.
Commended: The Hotel de Ville, Ripley, Harrogate.
Design and Innovation, sponsored by JHA Innovation Ltd
Winner: The Atrium, University of Bradford.
Commended: Primrose Hill, Ridge Street, Huddersfield. e scheme comprises 31 three and four-bed family houses in a mews arrangement
Regeneration, sponsored by Lambert Smith Hampton
Winner: New Bewerley Community School and Children’s Centre, Hunslet, Leeds.
Commended: Hull and Gipsyville Housing Venture Ltd.
Residential, sponsored by Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors
Winner: Wildspur Mills, Holmfirth.
Sustainability, sponsored by Regeneration and Renewal
Winner: The Dalby Forest Visitor Centre.
Commended: Gibson Mill Centre, Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge
There has been an overwhelming response to the RICS Awards 2008 call for entries. This year nearly 300 projects have put their scheme forward to be judged in one of four categories:
1. Building Conservation
2. Community Benefit
3. Regeneration
4. Sustainability
All with the hope of winning the prestigious Project of the Year prize, won in 2007 by Oxford Castle.
For further information on Pot House Hamlet and the Old glassworks development please email Tom Horsfield at info@pothousehamlet.co.uk
