A long day of walking streets in Chatham, trying to understand how it all works – I finally made my way along Dock Rd, past Medway Councilbuildings at Gun Wharfand St Mary’s Church, where Pepys and Dickens both worshipped; past Fort Amherst – to The Historic Dockyard.
Historic Dockyards, Chatham – Georgian brickwork of the main gateway entrance. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – The imposing and very long brick perimeter wall along Dock Road. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – The imposing and very long brick perimeter wall along Dock Road. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the massive extant granite coping stones along the edge of Mast Dock. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – The scale of the original Dockyard architecture is so impressive. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – The geometry and pattern within the buildings are evident in structure and light. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – The internal roof of the slipway buildings is really something to behold ! Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – The massive structural timbers of the No 2 Slipway building. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the roof apertures & timbers of the No 2 Slipway building create wonderful geometry and rhythms. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the roof apertures & timbers of the No 2 Slipway building create wonderful geometry and rhythms. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the early oak timbers were part of what were revered as ‘Chatham Timbers’ – Impressive forms with considerable interpretive merit. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the massive bespoke granite forms which make up the dry docks are particularly impressive. Image:Christopher Tipping
Historic Dockyards, Chatham – the massive bespoke granite forms which make up the dry docks are particularly impressive. Image:Christopher Tipping
Material use within the Historic Dockyards is often massive in form, frugal in detail and places enormous emphasis on function and being ‘fit for purpose’. This robust, economic and honest use of material and form is influential and informative and should be used as a template and contextual influence within the regeneration of the Town Centre of Chatham.
Historic Dockyards, Chatham – the bespoke granite paving forms and trackways which criss cross the site conjure up the legacy of movement and industrious activity of the dockyard. Image:Christopher Tipping
Historic Dockyards, Chatham – Dockyard Trains with great text – Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – List of submarines built in Chatham Docks. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the interiors of some of the buildings on site are immensely evocative and full of abstract forms. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the interiors of some of the buildings on site are immensely evocative and full of abstract forms. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the interiors of some of the buildings on site are immensely evocative and full of abstract forms. Image:Christopher TippingHistoric Dockyards, Chatham – the interiors of some of the buildings on site are immensely evocative and full of abstract forms. Image:Christopher Tipping
