Centenary Project

Charleston - October 2017

This project provided me with a great opportunity to combine my interest in architecture and in photographing people. Good architecture is a pleasure to experience, but it is easy to forget the skills and craftsmanship of the people involved in restoring and constructing buildings and spaces. It is my role to document the progress of construction, from the first nail to the final realization of the architects plans. This set of images focuses on the barn restauration.

The Centenary Project is a vital undertaking for the Charleston Trust to secure and celebrate 100 years since the arrival of the Bloomsbury artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant at Charleston Farmhouse in East Sussex. The house and garden became a defining factor in their lives, a centre and source for their creativity, and a home for their family and friends.

The project is creating spaces for exhibitions, learning and research, as well as new and enhanced accessible facilities for visitors. The historic barns across the lane from Charleston will be restored as a flexible space for events and workshops, the Granary, lost in the 1970s, will be rebuilt as a dedicated learning space. A new gallery, collection store and research centre will ensure that the artists' work beyond the house is given the exposure and attention that it deserves.