Historic Pump House transformed into riverside coffee shop
The historic Pump House in Portadown, Northern Ireland, has been transformed into a riverside coffee shop, which has been nominated for a 2018 RICS Award in the categories of Building Conservation and Regeneration.
Commenting on the award nomination, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Alderman Gareth Wilson said: “To be recognised by a professional body of the standing of the RICS is a source of genuine pride for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, particularly given the quality and range of built environment achievements in Northern Ireland in 2017-2018.”
Situated along the River Bann in Portadown, just a short walk from the town centre, Portadown Pump House was built in 1929 as part of the drainage system for the town and had been disused for decades. The site was restored and brought back into use as a result of this refurbishment project which involved the restoration of the existing building as well as a contemporary glass-fronted extension.
Work on the project commenced in May 2016 and the site re-opened as a coffee shop in November 2017. Work was undertaken by architects McAdam Design and contractors Moss Construction, with the project being managed by Faithful and Gould.
The Lord Mayor said: “The old Pump House building was refurbished to keep many of the original features such as steel trusses, stained glass windows and plaques. These features really enhance the character of the building. The contemporary glass extension, which was incorporated into the design of the building, boasts floor to ceiling windows making the most of the riverside setting and avoids an imitation of pastiche of the existing form.”
The Pump House is a single storey building in which as part of the refurbishment has had its floor space increased by over 100%. The original Pump House was 40m² and the extension is approximately 58m².
The Lord Mayor added: “Maintaining the original character of the building while coming up with a design which would be functional for a variety of purposes was a major challenge of this project, however by installing all necessary utilities, the building was made flexible enough to be used for a number of purposes.”
The £288,000 regeneration project, which is part of a programme of sustainable improvements earmarked for Portadown, has completely revived the area with the installation of new paths, lighting and landscaping.
The coffee shop is run by established Northern Irish Coffee chain ‘Ground.’
“The coffee shop has been very popular since opening in November 2017 and has brought a new lease of life to the building and wider locality,” said the Lord Mayor.
