Corstorphine & Wright is thrilled to announce that our Transmitter Bunker in Dorset has been shortlisted for the 2024 AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards.
We are incredibly proud of this project and are delighted that the Bunker’s unique history and exciting reuse are being recognised.
This scheme transformed a Grade II listed WWII bunker into a luxury holiday home through innovative retrofit and thoughtful design. Originally part of the ‘Chain Home’ radar system during WWII, the structure was designed to detect incoming enemy aircraft and signal their position, forming part of a perimeter of aerial arrays dotted along the English coast.
The design celebrates the structure’s history and retains as much of the original fabric and aesthetic of the space as possible. We worked closely with Historic England, Conservation Officers and Heritage Consultants to achieve this.
By retaining the Bunker’s original aesthetic and internal concrete, this forgotten historical artefact has been brought back to life. Our team stripped back and exposed the existing structure to carry out complex waterproofing and insulating before replanting a seed mix to retain and further enhance the biodiversity.
Notably, both the operational energy and embodied energy of the project were considered throughout planning and construction. The operational energy outputs have been minimised through employing natural ventilation to prevent overheating, installation of a ground source heat pump and careful detailing of thermal junctions to avoid unnecessary heat loss. Simultaneously, the Bunker puts the embodied energy of the structure to further use, effectively extending the life cycle of the building whilst utilising existing materials and minimising new finishes.
Congratulations to the team behind the Bunker as well as the others shortlisted at the AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards. We look forward to discovering the results at the event in September.
