Seamans Building is proud to have completed work on the new Castle Community Rooms in Framlingham.
The new building replaces St Michael’s Rooms, an important part of the community for more than 130 years that had sadly come to the end of its structural life.
St Michael’s Rooms had also shot to fame as the headquarters of the Danebury Metal Detecting Club in the award-winning BBC series, The Detectorists.
The new building, designed by James Gorst Architects, of Framlingham, is a multi-purpose space seating up to 120 people which can accommodate a variety of activities including music performances, dance classes and film screenings.
Photograph credit: Lorenzo Zandri
Castle Community Rooms includes a large hall with a tall, vaulted ceiling, offering stunning views of the nearby St Michael’s Church and its churchyard.
It also includes a meeting room, office, toilet facilities and a large kitchen area.
Its engineered timber frame construction includes a repeating roof structure with glulam beams spanning the length of the building and was constructed on specialist piled foundations to protect archaeology and to avoid tree root protection areas.
The building takes advantage of renewable technology and is highly insulated to maximise the energy efficiency of the building.
Black zinc cladding envelopes the building creating a larger eaves overhang for protection, together with the large oak dormer, offering a modern contrast to the traditional Suffolk black barn.
Ben Whatling, Director at Seamans, said: “This was a fantastic project to work on and it is wonderful to see it now in full use.
“St Michael’s Rooms was a much-loved building in the town and we were eager for its replacement to be even better.
“We have really enjoyed working on this important project for Framlingham.”
Photography credit: Lorenzo Zandri
A spokesman for St Michael’s Church, said: “We are delighted have worked with Seamans on this exciting new facility for Framlingham, to replace St Michaels Rooms which had stood on the site for the last 130 years.
“As was the case with St Michaels rooms, Castle Community Rooms will be an essential hub for Framlingham’s social and recreational activities, just a very short walk from the town centre. “
For more on Seamans’ projects, see here.
