This project represents the culmination of a real community-led process. The building was completed in December 2017 and since then has become a focal point for the village, providing much needed facilities in a striking contemporary design that is appropriate to its time and place. Sited on the Millennium Green, in the heart of the village, it makes the most of the location, embracing the view and reinforcing links with the surrounding landscape.

The Dragon Hall projects have previously comprised extensions, alterations and conservation to the 12th-15th century Grade I Listed cloth merchants trading hall in Norwich. The latest addition is a new south wing to provide accommodation for the National Centre for Writing.

Lucas+Western Architects were appointed to develop the design for the new south wing and internal alterations for Dragon Hall, a project to create the National Centre for Writing. The scheme addresses environmental and technical issues and provides a cultural focus befitting Norwich’s’ status as UNESCO City of Literature.

Dragon Hall is a magnificent Grade 1 Listed oak framed medieval trading hall constructed in 1426 on a site which had been occupied for the previous 500 years and is one of the most important historical buildings in Norwich and is considered to be a building of national significance. Over the centuries the Hall had been subdivided internally with many small buildings around. The Hall was rediscovered in the 1980’s and the process of historical and archaeological investigation and initial conservation work began. Previously, the visitor facilities and inclusive access arrangements have been brought up to date, and an all-glass gallery added.

With reviews of the concept design by The Writers Centre, the accommodation provision became enclosed office space at first floor in Hall House, an office at first floor in the new south wing, education rooms to include a store area for furniture and Enclosing the Atwood, Coetzee and Smith rooms to make them more functional as part of a writers colony or possible future offices. This led to the open end of the mezzanine in the former education room being enclosed and changes to the guarding around the north entrance ramp .

The building sits above flood level on a new earth mound, which used earth generated by creation of the new water-filled scrapes in the field adjacent. The steel superstructure follows a rigorous geometrical layout to create the building’s cylindrical form. The outer screen of Larch fins unifies the building’s appearance whilst screening the human activities within from the Nature Reserve adjacent.

• RIBA East 2019 Award
• Norfolk and Norwich Design & Craftsmanship Award 2019
• North Norfolk District Council 2019 Graham Allen Award for Conservation & Design

Photos: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

The building was left vacant in 2008 when its former occupier, the town library, moved to new premises. Since then it has been operated as a highly successful art-space by Wymondham Arts Forum, for the staging of art exhibitions, recitals and private functions. The brief was to accommodate up-to-date visitor facilities, meeting space and storage with as little impact on the historic fabric as possible.

A new fully glazed ‘lean-to’ extension was proposed, occupying a space in front of the chapel where a side-aisle or transept is believed once to have stood. The lead-roofed, oak-framed extension would house a new reception area and server, connected to the main chapel building through an original double-arched opening which was blocked up when the original side-aisle was demolished. Inside a contemporary oak and glass ‘rood-screen’ would separate storage-space in the base of the former bell tower from the main exhibition area, with an open ‘minstrels’ gallery’ above to be used for meetings.

The proposals were well received by the client, English Heritage and the local planning authority, and discussions are now taking place on Wymondham Arts Forum’s permanent tenure of the building before the project can be developed further.

The project involved extending and improving the existing 1960’s hall and its facilities to bring it up to 21st century standards. The building has been given a new ‘front door’ – a timber-clad extension which accommodates a generous foyer and bar area, to replace the existing facilities which had become tired and unwelcoming. A bright redecoration scheme throughout, with strong accent colours in the hall, foyer and WCs has changed the character of the whole building.

Ground-source heat-pumps were installed together with high levels of insulation in order to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and heating bills. Photovoltaic panels were located on the roof to generate sustainable electricity and a passive ventilation system has been installed in the large function hall.

Greatly improved acoustics, and lighting in the main hall complete a refurbishment which has secured Central Hall’s future as the leading community venue in this part of South Norfolk.