Opinion: The Art of Transforming Municipal Buildings
Jacobs Wells Baths - Image Credit: Alastair Brookes
Ice Road by Raucous credit Jack Offord. Performed at Jacobs Wells
At Trinity, we are committed to protecting public buildings and spaces and keeping them in the service of the local community. As part of our mission to restore and reopen Jacobs Wells, a former public swimming baths and dance centre into a vibrant community arts space, we have been gathering opinions from individuals with experience of breathing new life into former public buildings. We recently caught up with Kathryn Chiswell Jones of Artspace Lifespace, to share their experiences of occupying public spaces and the opportunities this affords the local community.
"Artspace Lifespace has a special affinity for breathing new life into old municipal buildings. Over the years, we've have occupied two former police stations, two former swimming baths, and even spaces at City Hall itself! Today, we proudly manage five unique art spaces in Bristol and North Somerset, with three of these spaces being municipal buildings that have been creatively repurposed.
Artspace Lifespace’s journey began in a former Audi garage. A site-specific show by sister company The Invisible Circus caught the attention of Bristol City Council’s Capacity Regeneration project team and supported our use of The Island (The Old Bridewell Police Station) in 2007. Our DIY attitude and "get it done" approach mean we can activate buildings quickly and affordably, breathing new life into spaces that might otherwise remain empty. Many of the buildings we've occupied have been council-owned and leased to us at peppercorn or reduced rents, allowing the council to bypass some of the red tape that often hinders transformative temporary use while saving them money by employing us as creative guardians.
It’s no surprise that people feel a deep sense of sentimentality and ownership over these municipal buildings. They’ve often been the backdrop to significant life events—weddings, celebrations, even personal challenges. Visitors to The Arts Mansion frequently share memories of their wedding day there, and we still hear stories from people who either served or were served at the Old Bridewell Police Station!
Municipal buildings carry not only historic and architectural significance but also help preserve local heritage and maintain the character of our communities. By repurposing these spaces, we help reduce maintenance costs and local authorities avoid the financial burden of managing unused properties. Adaptive reuse enables creative and innovative solutions, an opportunity to reimagine and repurpose spaces to meet contemporary needs while respecting the building’s original structure.
Renovating an existing building is often more sustainable and cost-effective than constructing a new one from scratch, but many buildings are often just left empty and deteriorate more quickly than buildings in active use.
"Artspace Lifespace are often described as catalysts for the ‘worthwhile’ use of disused properties. We love being agents of positive change, finding creative solutions for problem properties, and bringing life back to spaces that have been forgotten."
When we heard that Ashton Court Mansion was due to close, we approached the council to offer our management services while a long term solution was found. It was empty for five months before we took it on, and during that short period, the grade I listed door frames had swelled, just one of the common issues that can arise if a building is left empty. Initially, it was supposed to be a two-year temporary custodianship, but it has now stretched to eight years! We love that beautiful old mongrel of a house and it would be hard for us to leave, but its future requires significant investment and a long-term phased restoration plan to ensure it is a community resource for many more generations to come.
Navigating the reuse of old buildings is not without its challenges, from complex bureaucratic procedures to outdated infrastructure, such as outdated electrical systems, plumbing issues, or structural weaknesses. We also face challenges with accessibility in many of our meanwhile spaces. Because our focus is often on short-term solutions and quickly setting up spaces for community use, we lack the funding for permanent accessibility features. Many older buildings were not designed with modern accessibility in mind, making retrofitting costly and complex. One of the great things about municipal buildings is that they are generally designed to be accessible to the public.
Artspace Lifespace are often described as catalysts for the ‘worthwhile’ use of disused properties. We love being agents of positive change, finding creative solutions for problem properties, and bringing life back to spaces that have been forgotten. It’s always bittersweet for our staff and communities when it’s time to say goodbye to these spaces. After all, municipal buildings often serve as symbols of civic identity and pride and become integral parts of community life.
Old municipal buildings are more than just bricks and mortar; they are our cultural heritage, and ripe for creative reinvention. By championing the reuse of municipal buildings, Artspace Lifespace not only honours their storied pasts but also ensure they remain vital parts of our community’s present and future. We look forward to seeing where our journey takes us next!"
About Artspace Lifespace
Artspace Lifespace is a Registered Charity (No: 1168150) that recycles vacant, under-used and problem properties into thriving creative resources. We work in partnership with artists, building owners, property developers, local communities and organisations to secure and re-cycle interesting, unusual and often difficult buildings as vibrant multi-use art venues.
