the rise of roselle

how outline design re-energised saint kentigern’s 140-year old roselle house

Would you like us to email you a copy of this case study?

Executive Summary:

Renovating a 140-year-old historic building from a tired administration block to a vibrant learning centre capable of supporting a wide range of modalities was an exciting opportunity for the team at Outline Design.

Breathing light back into this historically significant building required clever considerations from Outline Design, to design a space that could facilitate multiple uses, while never losing sight of the needs of the students. Roselle House embraced education for the pupils of Saint Kentigerns today, and well into the future.

  • historic building re-purposing
  • flexible use within each space
  • meeting modern educational needs while referencing the history and values of the school
  • change of use of a building from administration/residence to broad and multifunctional

About the client and project:

Outline Design’s interior resurrection of the structural grande dame Roselle House was about honouring the rich history of the founding building of Saint Kentigern’s, paying respect to the past, with open arms to the future.

Built in 1876, the stately villa was home to the Wilson Family, passed down through the generations, when son John Wilson bequeathed it to the school for “the sole purpose to educate”. The Shore Road campus opened in 1959, with Roselle House at its heart.

honouring the rich history of the founding building of Saint Kentigern

Challenges:

Preserving the historic nature of the building was paramount. Working together with the architectural firm Architectus, the previously rabbit warren interior needed to be opened to create an environment which is light, airy and inviting.

Roselle House had, for 40 years, served in a supportive administration and residential role. Central considerations through the planning process were to maintain the public face of the school from downstairs, with pupils learning upstairs.

Following Outline Design’s space planning and efficiency analysis the path forward became clear.

The new learning commons needed to function as something akin to a super-library. Beyond the scope of books the space also needed to

  • cater to primary aged students in a traditional teaching environment
  • accommodate group presentations
  • support quiet study and reflection
  • comfortably host adults during school functions and meetings
  • open the outdoor space for learning
  • pay respect to the history of the building and the heritage of the school

“The opportunity to work within an older building, to modernise that
while keeping the history was so exciting for us.”

– Victoria Wilkes

Managing Director, Outline Design

Solutions:

Complex solutions within a budget meant Outline Design worked smarter. In order to fulfil the many varied functions required of the building, key considerations were made to enable a wide range of flexible use within the structure.

Bespoke furniture specification and procurement was integral in creating a finished product, which would service multiple needs. Clever integration of multi-functioning furnishings was paramount.

  • putting custom bookcases on rollers meant the rooms can be configured at short notice, to be pushed back when more space is required or brought forward to compartmentalise the room
  • modular writable nesting tables that can be linked for group projects or separated for solitary study have meant unique class environments are supported.
  • supporting various learning modalities by incorporating standing, seated, and reclined positioning, so a student has the option to work, read, or relax in the way that suits them best.
  • incorporating the Scottish tartan of Saint Kentigern for the custom flooring design meant students are quite literally grounded in their history.
  • wall graphics were optioned as an innovative renovation fundraiser, resulting in impactful and inspirational art.
  • resilient and hardwearing fabric choices, providing comfort and functionality.

Results:

Motivated by heritage conservation, Outline Design has managed to maintain much of the stately charm throughout the interior of Roselle through reusing and integrating elements of the past while at the same time driving forward into the future of contemporary education.

While much of the interior was updated, the preservation of significant interior features like historic school portraiture were beautifully integrated into the final product.

The Saint Kentigern’s of today represents a diverse variety of cultural and family backgrounds, all united by the values and traditions of the school. Having adapted to many different uses in its lifetime, Roselle House is the physical embodiment of the school motto, “Fides Servanda Est – the faith must be kept” and is once again awash with the sounds of youth engaged in learning.

Other Projects

Start typing and press Enter to search