The original St Johns Church building in Arbroath was constructed in 1772, and in 2022 the Church celebrated their 250 year history commissioning an extensive project to modernise the church building. The existing building is Category B Listed.

The project brief was to refresh and refurbish the interior for modern day use to create accessible energy efficient spaces, and to provide a new community café.

The proposal focused on four key areas:

  • opening up the church to the main frontage – improved visibility from the street
  • Provide a new improved modern glazed entrance and ‘welcome hall’
  • Provide an accessible, flexible open main space
  • Refurbish and reconnect the side hall as a new community cafe (including new kitchen)

The proposal respects the character and identity of the existing building by minimal alterations and a sympathetic new entrance. The contemporary glass entrance will also provide a more open and visible presence for the church from the street, and the modern addition signifies the improvement works within the building. The entrance also incorporate the Church’s new logo, again a signal of the change within both the building and Church identity.

The space would also allow for a ‘welcome hall’ to greet visitors and will also function as main access to café/hall at the side. Glass on both sides of the hall allow for views right through to the main space from the entrance.

The main hall has had a former balcony removed (a later Victorian addition to the existing building), to allow the octagonal space to be restored to its former glory. The stage was removed (that took up over a 1/3 of the original floor space) to allow the whole space to become single level. This allowed for total accessibility and flexibility for a wide range of activities to be carried out: a church service, an exercise class, a conference. The large tall windows openings were all retained, and the existing stained glass windows on show behind the secondary glazing system. The space feels much brighter and open.

At the side of the church sites the former hall, which has been converted into a café building with new insulated lowered ceiling. A former window at the internal end of the hall was opened up to allow for a new hatch and counter to the larger kitchen, which was also completely refurbished.

From an environmental perspective the building has been completely insulated by both targeting the building fabric and the heating system. New internal wall and roof insulation was added throughout the building, and the existing windows have all now had a thermally efficient secondary glazing system added. New air source heat pumps provide the energy efficient sustainable heating system that is regulated by a modern controls.

The project greatly enhances and improves an existing Listed Building for modern day use, whilst respecting the existing building fabric.