Retrofit Tours are a celebration of retrofitted buildings in the city of London. To bring to life the challenges of retrofit and showcase what is possible through collaboration, the Building Centre in conjunction with our partners, invites you to tours guided by the architects of some recently retrofitted buildings.
Operating in different contexts, retrofitted to varying degrees and for various reasons, each tour will make plain what is possible when we choose to work with what we already have, adapting it to the needs of the users. Join us for a guided tour by the architects followed by time to ask your burning questions.
Woolwich Works, carved out of five historic buildings, is now a cultural destination encompassing a theatre, music venue, rehearsal studios and much more. The centre piece of the project is ‘’Building 41’’ which has an impressive performance space, external courtyard, five studios which double- up as rehearsal and performance spaces, a café, bar and river facing events space.
Bennetts Associates achieved this through identifying the uses the building could fulfill with its existing structure, instead of undertaking significant work on the building for it to accommodate a purpose it is less naturally aligned with. Through a light retrofit Bennetts Associates reimagined a historic building for contemporary use. With minimal interference on the façade and minimal impact on the environment, Bennetts have created a cultural centre with practical and useful spaces. Join us at Woolwich Works as Rob Bearyman and Matthew Curtis from Bennetts Associates guide us through it and stay for an informal Q&A and mingling after.
*Please join us in the reception area of The Fireworks Factory (11 No. 1 Street, London, SE18 6HD) at 10.40am to begin the tour at 11am.
- Rob Bearyman (Associate Director- Bennetts Associates)
- Matthew Curtis (Associate- Bennetts Associates)
Rob has experience working across various sectors and his expertise lies in complex multi-stakeholder consultation. Rob has overseen award-winning projects at Bennetts Associates such as the HQ for the Royal College of Pathologists and the conversion of disused military buildings into a new cultural destination, Woolwich Works. Additionally, Rob led the practice's B Corp accreditation process, obtaining certification in early 2022, and holds a management role for the in-house People and Sustainability groups.
Matthew been involved in the practice’s notable cultural projects, playing a key role in award-winning schemes such as Storyhouse and Woolwich Works, both recipients of RIBA National Awards. His earlier contributions include projects such the Old Vic and Shaftesbury Theatre, alongside active participation in competitions. Since 2021, Matthew has been working on a mixed-use masterplan near Blackfriars Station showcasing his commitment to low carbon design and urban development.
