The Green House Counselling Service
retrofit and expansion of a former lodge, to provide counselling rooms and community space for hire
Charity
Community
Retrofit
The works, on an extremely tight budget, comprised renovation of the lodge and adjacent outbuilding, along with sensitive interventions and construction of a small extension to provide staff-support facilities. ACA worked closely with the Charity to make sure that their needs were met.
The resultant design saw the lodge converted into staff offices on the first floor, a calm, welcoming reception area and dedicated children’s counselling room on the ground floor. The outbuilding was linked to the lodge via a new enclosed walkway and transformed into a series of private yet homely counselling rooms.
The Green House is a Bristol based charity that has been providing support for children and adults that have experienced abuse since the 1970s. By 2017 they had outgrown their previous home and needed to respond to increasing demand for their services.
The Practice became aware that St Agnes Lodge, an elegant Edwardian former park keeper’s lodge, was being offered for sale by the City Council to community organisations, and that the council were keen for the building to remain a community asset. The lodge had previously been in use by a local community group, though with loss of funding, the future of the building was uncertain.
The building sat within a stone’s throw from the Charity’s previous premises, and seemed ideally located for the Charity’s needs so the Practice suggested it might make a good new home for them. ACA helped the Charity put together a business case and, following a successful competitive interview with the city, they were awarded the right to purchase the building.
A large community meeting room has also been incorporated at the western end, with its own kitchen facilities & disabled access toilet. This allows it to function independently from the rest of the premises, offering community groups a valuable facility, whilst generating precious income for the Charity.
The project, which was part funded by Triodos Bank, is much more than the result of a good architect/client relationship. It’s delivery would not have been possible without the true collaboration of the contractor, the help of local community groups and individuals, huge fundraising efforts from the Charity, and an army of volunteer decorators who selflessly gave up weeks of their time.
Located within St Agnes park, a hidden gem of a green space, the building provides a calm setting for therapy, and acts as an extension to the Charity’s counselling spaces. With larger, much-improved facilities The Green House can now offer a welcoming and inclusive space that honours the courage of their clients and their mission to help people recover from abuse.
Our projects include the design of buildings for community groups and charities, affordable eco housing and hostels, low energy offices and commercial refurbishments.
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