Alterations to the church - plans and 3D images

Here is a couple of images of the plans for the church. Jenny Wilson, on her visit here, referred to it as the "Pod". This new structure was designed by Giles Newstead to allow the Church to be used as a studio for artists in residence without impinging on the structure of the heritage listed building. Visiting artists/educators can have a bathroom, toilet, washup facilties -and a bedroom.

In the brief, we asked Giles for a contrapuntal response to the 1862 church, described in the heritage listing as " Victorian Romanesque". The reponse is a design that is edgy, geometric and functional. It is a distinctly modern design that adresses concerns for the conservation of energy and the continued conservation of the original building.

The Heritage council approved the plans without reservation, and they recognise that with modern facilities that do not change the integrity of the architectural forms, the building may live again to take on appropriate secular duties in the village of Franklin, Tasmania.

Franklin Jetty on the Huon River

Getting paint off the windows

Rosie helps out with brushing back the interior walls of the church and scraping paint off the windows to reveal more of the original,1862 leadlights. We are planning to brush back the walls to reveal brickwork, distemper and paint layers. Windows are to be cleaned and conserved in their current condition but protected from further deterioration by double glazing which will also help to insulate the church.

Rosie is a traveller from Scotland who has been spending time campaigning against old growth forest logging in the Florentine Valley. Rosie, and Nathan, heard we were offering casual work through the Huon Environment Centre, and the environmental centre is close to Franklin, and does an important job as focal point for the activists in Tasmania. They attempt to conserve the Trees whilst we try to conserve the beautiful church for generations to come.

Keeping the walls dry

Work begins with the builder: The Church must breathe again, and Keven, the builder, says the church has lost its musty smell. The question is, is this because I left the manholes (in the floor) open for six months so the airflow improved, or is it because it has been unseasonally dry here in Franklin? This begs the next question: Is this because of global warming or just a dry winter and spring?

Last thing, on this first day of Keven's work on the building, he tells me there is a pool of water just sitting there under the floor of the Church between the piers. I must crawl under and see for myself soon.....what to be done?? Move the Church across the road I suggested helpfully.....

Regardless, the floors are better ventilated now than they have ever been, and as I blog, we are also building better drainage on the southern wall to keep water flowing away from the walls of the Church. Out Damp Spot! get thee gone saturation!

Dr.Z.

In the beginning

This is the first posting on a blog set up to document and discuss the process whereby we (Pat and Charles Zuber) will convert a heritage listed church in Tasmania into a studio gallery and accommodation.



Charles recently retired from Queensland College of Art but is maintaing contact as Adjunct Senior Lecturer. Pat has a long background in community cultural development, cultural planning and public art project management. Our visual arts practices are photography, painting and printmaking.



We are not sure exactly how the church studio will be used and welcome comments from other people. Our ideas so far include artists in residence, master workshops, projects and hiring out of the studio and accommodation. In particular we want the focus to be on art and environment.



Plans have been approved by the Heritage Council for a stand alone contemporary 'pod' to be constructed in the church comprising bathroom, separate toilet, mezzanine bedroom or drawing room, wash up area, kitchenette, wood stove and a platform to enable views to the Huon River across the road. The remaining area will be used for the studio doubling up as gallery or installation space. Photos of the process whereby the design was developed will be posted on this blog site. A website will also be developed for this initiative.



The studio is in the township of Franklin on the Huon River in the Huon Valley and is 35 minutes drive south from Hobart. The region is close the the South West Wilderness area and the Hartz Mountain National Park. The area includes many orchards - apples, cherries, apricots etc. The mightly Huon River opens out inthe D'Entreaucasteaux Channel running south into the Antartic Ocean. Huonville is home to the Huon Valley Environment Centre - a small but important hub for green actions especially in relation to the continued logging of native forest.

Political views are very polarised and dynamic. Plenty of fodder for art and environment projects.

We would welcome your ideas and comments and look forward to discussing this venture with others as it unfolds.

Pat and Charles