Project Overview

• Built in 1912 as the Great Yarmouth School of Arts and Crafts
• Designed by J.W. Cockrill, Borough Architect of Great Yarmouth
• Early use of steel frame and concrete construction, with red brick cladding
• Recognised as an early example of modern construction methods in civic buildings
• The designer was nicknamed “Concrete Cockrill” for his pioneering use of concrete

Architectural Description

• Two-storey steel-framed building clad in red brick with concrete and terracotta detailing
• Designed in a restrained classical style with tripartite vertical bays and emphatic pilasters
• Large metal-framed windows, particularly prominent on the north and east elevations, provide strong visual rhythm and natural light to former studios and classrooms
• Features a central entrance bay with a recessed door, detailed in concrete and brick, framed by robust architectural surrounds
• Interior includes wide corridors and high-ceilinged rooms typical of early 20th-century educational buildings
• Externally notable for its parapets with finials, deep concrete string courses, and overall expression of early civic modernism

The Challenge

This project presented several key challenges:

• Heritage Constraints
• Grade II listed building requiring strict planning approval
• Need to retain original aesthetic and proportions
• Limited tolerance for visible change

Architectural Sensitivity

• Large, repetitive window bays forming the building’s identity
• Requirement to maintain:
  • Sightlines
  • Mullion/transom alignment
  • Consistent glazing patterns
• Occupied Building
• Works carried out in a live residential environment
• Resident communication and sequencing critical

Access Constraints

• Prominent roadside elevation
• Likely scaffold and logistics complexity (tight urban frontage)

Our Solution

Asset Fineline delivered a fully managed solution:

Survey & Design

• Detailed measured surveys to replicate original layouts
• Coordination with planning / conservation requirements

Manufacture

• Bespoke window production to match:
  • Original proportions
  • Glazing bar configurations
• Focus on consistency across all elevations

Installation

• Working with multiple trades – scaffold, new fans (ventilation) system installers and infrared heating installers
• Phased installation programme to liaise with the other trades on site
• Careful removal and replacement to protect surrounding fabric
•  Minimal disruption to residents

Outcomes

• Retained the visual integrity of a landmark building
• Delivered improved thermal performance and longevity
• Achieved planning and conservation compliance
• Successfully completed within an occupied residential setting