Restoration House, Rochester – Gazebo ⏐ Grade I Listed Building ⏐ Conservation Areas
The owners of the Grade I Listed Restoration House in Rochester have been in the process of gradually reconstructing the Tudor or Mannerist sunken gardens that were originally associated with the property for many years. The southern part of the original gardens had been lost and covered by a carpark and the intervention of surrounding properties for many years. The owners had the opportunity to purchase this area of land, which had been in the process of redevelopment which would have seen the remains of these gardens lost forever. We worked closely with the owners to assist with the design of the reconstruction, using images from the historic records, the remaining archaeology on site and some imagination, obtaining all the necessary consents and providing technical designs as required.
Part of this restoration included the design and construction of a flint and brick gazebo, built in the most prominent corner of the site and used to provide vertical access between the lower, intermediate and upper levels. Its defining feature is a cylindrical brick core capped with a hidden dome and central oculus, allowing natural light to illuminate the interior and the radial stone staircase winding around the core. The Gazebo combines multiple historical references in a Mannerist spirit: part stair tower, part banqueting pavilion, part grotto, and part fortified gatehouse. Squint windows, ironwork, and subtle parapet adjustments choreograph light and views, connecting the Gazebo visually and functionally to the restored terraces, the Chalice water feature, and the wider garden.
By integrating surviving Tudor walls and archaeological fragments, the structure embodies both historical fidelity and imaginative interpretation, creating a focal point that revives the layered Renaissance and Mannerist character of the garden.
The construction of the oculus presented a particularly interesting challenge. The owner was determined to ensure that the building was of traditional construction and as the Pantheon in Rome also has an oculus roof which has stood the test of time, surely we would be able to follow suit. Cyma Architects worked closely with the builder and Structural Engineer to devise a plan. A series of arches were built between the cylindrical centre and the surrounding square to brace the top of the cylinder, The top of the cylinder was corbelled out to create a firm base for the dome and was also strapped with a steel collar formed of two steel semicircles bolted together. The dome was set out on the computer with every brick course set out, so that we could determine the preferred angle for each course of bricks. Through this process we discovered that the decide to commission the fabrication of two sets of brick specials with slightly different angles. The builder constructed plywood form work under the dome, which was then constructed and finished with lime render to the outside on completion.
