SS Great Britain
Subscribe now to instantly view this image
Subscribe to the Architects’ Journal (AJ) for instant access to the AJ Buildings Library, an online database of nearly 2,000 exemplar buildings in photographs, plans, elevations and details.
Already a subscriber? Sign in
David Mellor (left) and Mark Whitby enjoy the below-the-waterline experience
Paul Riddle (website) Download Original
Preservation and restoration of a historic ship and dry dock to include visitor facilities
This first iron screw propelled ocean going ship, designed by Brunel in 1843 and now resting in its Listed original dry dock, required extensive preservation and restoration and new visitor facilities.
The ship's interior has been extensively restored and the site has been made as accessible as possible within the limits of its historic fabric.
A glass plate was inserted at water-line level to allow the dehumidification essential to the ship’s preservation and the adjacent dockyard buildings were restored as an interpretation centre and new entrance to the ship.
Data
- Begun: Jan 2005
- Completed: May 2005
- Sector: Arts and culture
- Total cost: £9.3M
- Address: SS Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Bristol, BS1 6TY, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Alec French Architects
- Project architects: Alec French, David Mellor, John Fjeld, Matthew Tanner, Robert Turner, Tim Burgess
- Client: SS Great Britain Trust
- Concept initial development: Jane Wernick Associates
- Structural engineer: Fenton Holloway
- Services engineer: WSP
- Structural engineer: Arup
- Project manager: Capita Symonds Architecture
- Cost consultant: Capita Symonds Architecture
- Iron conservation specialist: Eura Conservation
- Main contractor: Bluestone
- Concept architect: Eura Conservation
- Concept architect: SS Great Britain Trust
- Concept initial development: Julian Harrap Architects
Suppliers
- Waterline plate subcontractor: Space Decks