Architect: Philip Proctor
Project Completed: November 2015
Contractor: A Hammon & Son Ltd
The building dates back to the late 1600s and subsequently extended it is surprisingly not listed even though it retains is upper gallery intact. Located in the very centre of Taunton, the Meeting House was had been poorly adapted with modern interventions that were clumsy and completely masked internally the original form and character. Meetings were held in poorly lit and heated rooms with a low modern panel ceiling and poor circulation spaces and flow to the building.
The site was highly constrained which was aggravated by the adjacent burial ground. However archaeological investigation allowed us allow form an extension without disturbing any burials to create a new principal meeting room with a far more inclusive design, giving a triple aspect room top lit from a lantern over a pyramidal roof give height, light and space. Particular attention was paid to acoustic attenuation between rooms to ensure that quiet meetings remain quiet.
The height of the building allowed for the insertion of a first floor over the whole of the original Meeting House, which was used to incorporate two flats, with their own separate entrance.
The building has been made more energy efficient thanks to upgraded insulation, including an insulated wall lining system, as well as a high efficiency heating system.
The end result is a building that is far more welcoming, inclusive, and user friendly, which will provide a place of solitude for generations to come.
