Southover Grange exhibit

Posted on March 3, 2017June 1, 2018 by photograph

Southover Grange exhibit

This is one of a selection of my Southover Grange photographs currently on display at Pelham House. I have been documenting the Tudor manor in the centre of Lewes over the past nine months as it undergoes renovations. The owners, East Sussex County Council, use these photographs to promote their work on the building. For years this was the registry office and the site of many local celebrations. After the current refurbishment it will re-open as a wedding venue once again.

The house was built in the 1570s using stones taken from the ruins of the nearby Lewes Priory, destroyed under Cromwell 35 years earlier (see my blog post here). When I took this photo the plaster had been temporarily stripped away to reveal large pieces of Priory limestone, and even sections of circular columns.

A few weeks after this shot was taken, the wall was covered with plaster and paint, hiding once again the building blocks of the house. This is why I like my job. These glimpses of a building’s past are often fleeting. I feel lucky to catch them when I can.

Old and new converge

Posted on February 24, 2017June 1, 2018 by photograph

Old and new converge

It seems that just about everyone in Lewes is excited about the Depot Cinema opening soon so I thought I would use another photo from my latest visit. This shot shows the view from the new zinc roof across to the old roofs of the Victorian-era railway station. I was interested in how the colours and the repeating lines of the old and new converge in the purple grey of the late afternoon light.

It is a glimpse of how well the new high-spec modern building will sit within its locality.

I have been documenting the refurbishment of this old brewery depot in the centre of Lewes for a year and a half as it becomes a new community cinema. My client uses the photos to build on the excitement of the local residents and film buffs.

The green room at the Depot

Posted on February 17, 2017June 1, 2018 by photograph

The green room at the Depot

I have probably said this before here but I do love finding unexpected colours on building sites. Upstairs at the Depot Cinema there is a new row of offices being built. At the moment they are sporting this sea green wall covering. When I arrived they had just been given an application of sealant.

I couldn’t resist capturing both the rich colour and the Jackson Pollock-like drips.

Over the past year and a half I have been documenting the refurbishment of this old brewery depot in the centre of Lewes as it becomes a new community cinema. My client uses the photos to build on the excitement of the local residents and film buffs.

A glimpse of the future

Posted on January 13, 2017June 11, 2018 by photograph

A glimpse of the future

I love the point at which a new space suddenly makes sense to me when I have been documenting a renovation, and I can get a real feeling for how a building will work when finished. I had that sensation on my latest visit to The Depot Cinema, where I have been photographing for the past 18 months. The front of the building,

with its two walls of glass, came alive to me as I walked in. The winter sun was streaming into this bright new space that will soon house the cinema restaurant. I look forward to thinking back to this moment when I am sitting here having a meal in a few month’s time. More photographs from this project can be found here.

Plasterboard pink vs winter blue

Posted on December 15, 2016June 11, 2018 by photograph

Plasterboard pink vs winter blue

This week’s photo comes from The Depot Cinema in Lewes, where I am documenting the renovations of a former brewery depot as it becomes a community cinema. My clients use the photographs to keep local residents updated on the progress of the project and to build on the excitement of this eagerly awaited venue.

It always surprises me how much colour I come across on a building site. One might expect the predominant shades to be greys, browns and blacks. In fact, I find vivid colours to photograph at every stage of the process. This bubblegum-pink plasterboard is a good example, splashed with sun and offering an appealing contrast to the blue winter afternoon light. More photographs of this project can be found here.

Renovations at Southover Grange, Lewes

Posted on November 18, 2016September 25, 2018 by photograph

Renovations at Southover Grange, Lewes

I came across this stairwell at the very end of my most recent shoot of the renovations at Southover Grange in Lewes. I am documenting the building works of this Tudor manor for the owners, East Sussex County Council, so they can keep local residents up-to-date with the progress. As always with this type of job, I never know what I will find to photograph when I go on site. Sometimes it will be dramatic and obvious and sometimes it will be a subtle detail. I was pleased when I found this one.

I liked the split between the beautifully lit clean white staircase on the right to the bare cracked brick wall on the left, with the slightly incongruous blank window of blue and green panes. Even the ceilings are contrasting: white and ascending towards the light to dark splintered wooden lathes supported by struts. Next time I visit, this split will be unified. It will all be beautifully smoothed over and finished with everything in its place. More photographs from this shoot can be found here.

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Category: current projects