Adaptive Reuse in Action
A Project By: Graphisoft
A derelict Victorian subterranean reservoir in Nottinghamshire has been transformed into a new planetarium and science discovery centre for the promotion of STEM opportunities by the Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society (MSAS).
The client had a huge ambition to elevate its existing site at Sherwood Observatory, adding teaching space, meeting rooms and a café.
MSAS obtained the land in 2014 with a long-held vision to turn the reservoir into a planetarium that will inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. This centre also provides income to the area and its people, helping support the local economy.
As a charitable organisation, MSAS does not generate funds commercially. Therefore, the project has been financed through grants. To support the fundraising initiative further, the architects, Anotherkind, invited the public to view the proposed designs in 3D, using virtual reality headsets. Users were able to ‘walk’ around the plans and see what the building will bring to the community.
Throughout the project, the contractor virtually ‘walked’ around the design onsite. This eliminated the need to print the plans and meant they could conduct meetings onsite with the site manager.
From the outset, the team wanted to ensure the project had minimal environmental impact. When designing the planetarium, the firm opted for a green roof to ensure net biodiversity net gain. Embodied carbon is reduced compared to an equivalent new build as the existing reservoir structure is being reused. Meanwhile, electric car charging points and cycle stage has also been installed.
To find out more about the project, you can ‘walk’ around the designs here: Adaptive Reuse in Action: Anotherkind Transforms Victorian Reservoir into New Planetarium – Graphisoft
