Fieldtrip: Kresen Kernow
Fieldtrip: Kresen Kernow
10.12.2019
Earlier this week we paid a visit to Cornwall's new archive facility at Kresen Kernow - and boy, it's impressive.
We're shown round by Tamsin Mallett, who explains how the building combines the old records office archive from Truro with the Cornish Studies reference library that used to reside in Redruth. There's parking, there's a welcoming and spacious downstairs exhibition space, there's comfy seating in the library - and there's a cafe coming soon. I, for one, will definitely be hanging out here more often.
Just over £11 million from the National Lottery and additional funding from Cornwall Council has fed the creation of a space that merges old and new beautifully in this old brewery building on the outskirts of Redruth.That's a lot of public funding, and the building actually seems to recognise that - acting as a hangout for the local youth as much as the space where retired amateur historians come to do their research. It's been designed to be welcoming and accessible, offering one of very few Changing Spaces toilets in Cornwall which staff fought hard to keep because they knew it would make them a place that anyone with specific needs could come for a morning out and feel comfortable.
The site here was one of 32 put forward when Cornwall Council put the call out back in 2012. They boiled it down to this space or a car park in St Austell and the historic nature of the site, together with the support of the community (two folders of letters of support and petitions were submitted with the bid) eventually won out.
The welcome space
The downstairs space is open and welcoming. A large central reception desk is there if you need help and signage is kept informative but not overwhelming. There's public toilets and computers and permanent exhibitions space explaining the history of the brewery and what an archive is, as well as space to display changing exhibitions drawing on and celebrating the extensive collections here. There's also cafe which is currently pop-up but will soon be operational whenever the building is.
The library and archive
Upstairs (or via the lift) there's lockers and an open space to sit and be before you head into the reference library or archive space. The former has beanbags and comfy seats as well as desk space and the latter is behind a glass wall but has been kept open and welcoming with comfy seats and desk spaces. The team still prefer you to order items in advance but they're one of the few archives who will do it on the day if you can't. Be sure to take some ID with you to order you reader's card if you're doing some research using archived materials from the collections.
The concrete box
The first two spaces are in the restored brewhouse of the old brewery, with the old brickwork left exposed and granite floors lovingly lifted, cleaned and relayed alongside oak like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Original columns made up the road have been repurposed and used structurally within the new build.
The new part of the build is where the actual collections are stored. Sixty-four concrete panels, made locally using aggregate from the china clay industry, adorn the sides of this 'concrete box' which is a good environment at this time of year. Keeping temperature, humidity and air flow stable is key and these are monitored. Tamsin tells us that the environmental controls will usually only need to kick-in in extreme weather conditions, making this a cost-effective storage solution with fourteen miles of shelf space.
The store is currently about a third full with 250 collections across Cornwall promised and still to bring now there is room. They've planned for 20 years of storage here and as more and more items are digitised the tide will likely turn on the constant and steady influx of 'stuff'.
Something that really comes across throughout the tour is how much thought has gone into this space and how much input staff like Tamsin have had in the build and ultimate provision of a facility that meets their needs and the of the public. They visited a number of other facilities and wanted to create the best in the UK. In Cornwall. And they've done it!
It's refreshing. And exciting news for Redruth.
Earlier this week we paid a visit to Cornwall's new archive facility at Kresen Kernow - and boy, it's impressive.
 |
| Kresen Kernow is housed in the old Redruth Brewery building |
 |
| Tamsin gives us the behind-the-scenes tour |
Just over £11 million from the National Lottery and additional funding from Cornwall Council has fed the creation of a space that merges old and new beautifully in this old brewery building on the outskirts of Redruth.That's a lot of public funding, and the building actually seems to recognise that - acting as a hangout for the local youth as much as the space where retired amateur historians come to do their research. It's been designed to be welcoming and accessible, offering one of very few Changing Spaces toilets in Cornwall which staff fought hard to keep because they knew it would make them a place that anyone with specific needs could come for a morning out and feel comfortable.
 |
| The derelict site prior to the build |
The site here was one of 32 put forward when Cornwall Council put the call out back in 2012. They boiled it down to this space or a car park in St Austell and the historic nature of the site, together with the support of the community (two folders of letters of support and petitions were submitted with the bid) eventually won out.
 |
| The entry space includes public computers, toilets and a cafe |
The welcome space
The downstairs space is open and welcoming. A large central reception desk is there if you need help and signage is kept informative but not overwhelming. There's public toilets and computers and permanent exhibitions space explaining the history of the brewery and what an archive is, as well as space to display changing exhibitions drawing on and celebrating the extensive collections here. There's also cafe which is currently pop-up but will soon be operational whenever the building is.
 |
| There are a number of permanent and changing exhibition spaces |
The library and archive
Upstairs (or via the lift) there's lockers and an open space to sit and be before you head into the reference library or archive space. The former has beanbags and comfy seats as well as desk space and the latter is behind a glass wall but has been kept open and welcoming with comfy seats and desk spaces. The team still prefer you to order items in advance but they're one of the few archives who will do it on the day if you can't. Be sure to take some ID with you to order you reader's card if you're doing some research using archived materials from the collections.
 |
| The archive reading room |
The concrete box
The first two spaces are in the restored brewhouse of the old brewery, with the old brickwork left exposed and granite floors lovingly lifted, cleaned and relayed alongside oak like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Original columns made up the road have been repurposed and used structurally within the new build.
 |
| New meets old |
The new part of the build is where the actual collections are stored. Sixty-four concrete panels, made locally using aggregate from the china clay industry, adorn the sides of this 'concrete box' which is a good environment at this time of year. Keeping temperature, humidity and air flow stable is key and these are monitored. Tamsin tells us that the environmental controls will usually only need to kick-in in extreme weather conditions, making this a cost-effective storage solution with fourteen miles of shelf space.
 |
| There's room to store fourteen miles of materials here |
The store is currently about a third full with 250 collections across Cornwall promised and still to bring now there is room. They've planned for 20 years of storage here and as more and more items are digitised the tide will likely turn on the constant and steady influx of 'stuff'.
 |
| Kresen Kernow is an impressive new space for Cornwall |
Something that really comes across throughout the tour is how much thought has gone into this space and how much input staff like Tamsin have had in the build and ultimate provision of a facility that meets their needs and the of the public. They visited a number of other facilities and wanted to create the best in the UK. In Cornwall. And they've done it!
It's refreshing. And exciting news for Redruth.
Comments
Post a Comment