Astley Castle Renovation
200best ES
Witherford Watson Mann Architects
2013
Type
Hotel
Tags
renovations, spaces for tourism, heritage sites interventions, traces from the past, 200Best, palimsests, responsible tourism
Visitability
Allowed
Description
Thanks to this delicate and elegant intervention, Astley Castle has been brought back to life after its almost total destruction by fire in the 1970s. Far from attempting to rebuild it, the architects introduced contemporary architectonic elements in order to make the ruins habitable. This preserves its romantic charm without falling into ‘pastiche’. The intervention gives uniformity to the ruins from different historical periods, maintaining the sensation of being in an unfinished construction. The large rooms from the 15th and 17th centuries were left as open courtyards, while the main volume of the new hotel is located in the oldest part of the complex, within its medieval walls. The materials chosen, mainly brick and wood, contribute to creating a chromatic dialogue with the ruins, as well as giving the new space a homely warmth that recalls its original function from a contemporary point of view. A perfect place for guests to enjoy the architectural heritage and reflect on the passage of time while observing the palimpsest where they will stay for a few days.