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Donald Insall Associates

@insallarch

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What heritage can be.

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5

a year ago

A local landmark back in the hands of its community.

Kidderminster Town Hall has been awarded Best Project and the Conservation Award at the Worcestershire Society of Chartered Architects Awards.

In collaboration with Howells, the Grade II-listed Town Hall has been reopened following a programme of repair and refurbishment works to bring the local landmark back into community use.

Key historic spaces, including the Music Hall and former Public Rooms, have been sensitively repaired, with original architectural detailing revealed and enhanced. Targeted modern interventions support the building’s renewed civic and cultural role without compromising its significance.

Read more through the link in our bio.

Photography: Greg Holmes. by @insallarch

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16 days ago

With over 150 years of stories, Rochdale Town Hall has opened its doors for all.

Adding to its extensive history, the Grade I-listed Rochdale Town Hall has been restored following a major programme of work.

The design approach worked with the building, rather than against it, allowing contemporary interventions to sit comfortably within W.H.Crossland's Victorian composition. Harmful previous insertions were removed to restore the building's original plan form, and new additions were carefully developed and tested from an early stage, ensuring their impact on the historic fabric was fully understood.

Read more about the history of the building below.

Historic images courtesy of Rochdale Local Studies, Touchstones @rochdalelocalstudies by @insallarch

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19 days ago

Next week, we are opening our studio doors.

On September 17th and 18th, as part of the Open House Festival, we’re exploring how historic spaces continue to evolve through careful intervention, creative thinking, and a deep understanding of what makes them significant.

From digital modelling and data-led decision-making to specialist conservation techniques, innovation is transforming conservation practice and helping to conserve heritage with greater understanding, precision and care.

Want to visit? Find out more and see when you can drop into our studio via the link in our bio. by @insallarch

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a month ago

How do you repair a 17th century roof without losing special character?

Built in 1620 for the founder of Maryland, @kiplin_hall in North Yorkshire holds a rich history and unique interiors.

Repairs to the high-level masonry and roof of the Gothic library wing have secured it for future generations.

To retain as much of the original fabric as possible, splice repairs were carried out to the timber roof structure, and where suitable, more materials were salvaged and replaced, including Westmoreland slates from the roof. In response to climate pressures, new insulation was introduced within office areas to improve thermal performance, and gutters have been replaced to manage more extreme weather conditions.

Open to visitors 6 days a week, Kiplin Hall continues to balance conservation with the needs of a working heritage site.
Read more through the link in the comments.

@aceagrams | @jakspedding by @insallarch

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a month ago

How can we future‑proof a 220‑year‑old roof?

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery @brighton_museums welcomes more than 60,000 visitors a year, but its 220‑year‑old roof, which had been heavily modified over its lifespan and its lantern fully replaced in the 1960s, was causing heat build‑up and was hard to maintain, putting both people and the collections at risk.

A new lead roof has now been installed. Services have been rationalised to improve efficiency and reduce excess power use, and fire compartmentation, detection and suppression systems have all been upgraded. Now, visitors can continue to enjoy the gallery’s artworks and collections for generations to come.

“Brighton Museum Gallery is an important historic building, part of the Royal Pavilion estate. It’s so important that buildings like this are maintained for the benefit of current and future generations.” - Hedley Swain, CEO of the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust

Read more through the link in our bio.

@_simonkennedy by @insallarch

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2 months ago

Led by @thisisgrosvenor, the second largest square in London, Grosvenor Square, has undergone the fourth redesign in its 300-year history.

Designed by Tonkin Liu and delivered by BDP, the project has improved access, provided more facilities, and improved bio-diversity. We are proud to have supported this transformation as heritage consultants.

A destination for visitors, businesses and residents, the square has an extensive history which is honoured through several memorials and embraced in the new design.

Find out more about the history of Grosvenor Square, and read more through the link in our bio. by @insallarch

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2 months ago

In North Yorkshire, @kiplin_hall has been home to four families for over 400 years.

In 2024, the Kiplin Hall Trust received funding from @aceagrams to carry out general repairs to its Gothic library wing, which dates back to 1820.

As conservation architects, DIA delivered a programme of repairs, balancing repair and intervention with retention of the building’s special historic character. However, the real condition of the roof could only be truly assessed once the project began on site.

Bespoke solutions were developed in real time, including a new lead cover flashing detail and a tailored insulation strategy. By combining sheep’s wool insulation with wood fibre board in constrained areas, the team achieved improved thermal performance while respecting the building’s character and material integrity.

Read more about the project through the link in our bio. by @insallarch

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2 months ago

Crystal Palace Park’s Grade II*-listed Italian Terraces have endured for 170 years of history and are currently on the Heritage at Risk register.

As part of the regeneration of Crystal Palace Park, delivered by @lbbromley and @crystalpalaceparktrust, a multi-disciplinary team of specialists led by @htadesignllp have sensitively repaired and restored the historic terraces.

Detailed condition surveys have informed targeted interventions, including the rebuilding of historic stonework and the relocation of Sir Joseph Paxton’s bust closer to its original setting.

In keeping with Paxton’s original vision, work will enable the space to support a wider programme of events and public use in the years ahead.

We’re proud to have contributed as conservation architects to this regeneration project.

Follow the link in our bio to find out more.

Images: Kilian O'Sullivan by @insallarch

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2 months ago

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2 months ago

Restoring a Victorian vision: a major phase of the regeneration of Crystal Palace Park has now been delivered by @lbbromley and @crystalpalaceparktrust.

@htadesignllp led a multidisciplinary team to restore many of the Grade II*-listed park’s original Victorian elements.

The historic Grade II-listed Italian Terraces have been sensitively repaired and historic features reinstated to preserve the structure from further decay, ensure it is accessible for visitors, and continue to reflect Paxton’s original intent.

At the Geological Court and Tidal Lake, 29 dinosaur sculptures and 14 geological illustration areas have been carefully consolidated, providing a rare window into Victorian history and ensuring they can be enjoyed for years to come.

We’re proud to have contributed as conservation architects to this regeneration project.

Read more through the link in our bio.

Images: Kilian O'Sullivan by @insallarch

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3 months ago

On July 20th, Grosvenor Square will reopen to the public.

Led by @thisisgrosvenor, a multi-million-pound transformation has reimagined London’s second-largest garden square.

With more than 7,000 people contributing to its design, the square has been shaped into a space for all. Designed by Tonkin Liu and delivered by BDP, the scheme draws on the square’s 1720s origins, reinstating historic elements and giving listed memorials a renewed setting.

Alongside this, the landscape has been reshaped to support climate resilience, is step-free and wheelchair accessible, and is home to a new education centre.

We are proud to support this transformation as heritage consultants. Our research and heritage planning negotiations contributed to a scheme which will provide vastly increased biodiversity and amenity to Mayfair.

Read more about the project through the link in our bio.

Images: Stuart Bailey Photography by @insallarch

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3 months ago