Working with BPN Architects on The Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton

Written by Russell Morriss - Associate at BPN Architects

BPN Architects first became involved in the development of the Royal Hospital scheme in 2019 when we worked with Jessup on a feasibility layout for the site. This included proposals for the historic Grade II Listed former hospital building, which then developed into a planning application and subsequent detailed designs.

Given our local knowledge of Wolverhampton and involvement in the bus depot site opposite, we were acutely aware of the former hospital’s status in the area, and the special place it had in the hearts of so many local people. We always enjoy working on existing buildings and when they are listed that is only increased. You feel a responsibility to ensure any proposals respect its status while also an excitement that you are part of bringing a derelict building back to life and providing it with a new purpose.

The scheme has not been without its challenges: converting an existing building that was made for a particular purpose into a new one throws up numerous obstacles - for example, existing window and wall positions need to be worked with and retaining the historic fabric is critical. At the Royal, the existing sash windows were extensive throughout the facades so positioning party walls was limited. In reality, this has meant some apartments may be larger or smaller than a “standard” one. The fact that the scheme was part of a conservation area also required creative thinking – the designs had to respect the local area and in particular the former hospital. We worked closely with the local council’s planning department to ensure the desired design quality was achieved, while also collaborating with whg to develop proposals that suited their vision and requirements. We focused on responding to the local context and creating positive aspects and spaces where people would want to live and play. Taking clues from the local area such as the industrial heritage helped form our design response. This was reflected in the forms of some of the proposals with mono pitch roofs reflecting the look of industrial buildings nearby.

Transforming a derelict site and bringing a local landmark building back to life has been a fantastic challenge. We are acutely aware of how fond the local community is of this building and hope they will enjoy seeing it back in action.