Former Pumping Station: Cold Ash, Berkshire A Project By: iB Architects A former Edwardian water pumping station that was transformed into a stunning 3 storey contemporary family home.  The project was featured on Channel 4’s “The Restoration Man”, hosted by the architect George Clarke and it documented the conversion process from a simple brick building that enclosed a 5-tonne lifting crane, to a four-bedroom home with a triple height entrance hall and gallery. The crane was retained for historical and ornamental purposes – serving as a reminder of the building’s former occupation. The client bought the site at auction where it already benefitted from a positive pre-application enquiry to the local planning authority. However, the scheme presented was domestic in nature and attempted to convert the building into a conventional double-fronted house – rather than explore a response to the building’s heritage and industrial past. At interview the client was taken by our approach to preserve the drama of the existing volume and create a functional yet distinctive family home that retained the space, volume, and character of the hard edged industrial building. Early on in the design process we looked at how the three storey volume could be retained, … Continue reading Award-Winning Edwardian Pump House Conversion