Project Overview
Kettle’s Yard is an art gallery set within four converted Grade II listed cottages and a 1970s extension. The gallery was beginning to fall below modern standards due to its inflexible layout and poor condition following a series of piecemeal extensions, thus SDC was appointed to carry out large-scale alterations to improve the layout.
SDC was appointed to carry out large-scale alterations to improve the layout.
The work involved the demolition of 4-8 Castle Street and its replacement with a four-floor education wing, improved exhibition galleries, a new entrance and a café – all set behind a retained façade. The demolished structures were replaced by an in-situ concrete framed building and the retained cottages were remodelled.
The vision for the project was to complete a series of alterations that improve the support services for visitors.
The new facilities within Kettle’s Yard include a spacious learning studio in the basement, designed to accommodate a whole school class, along with two gallery spaces, a kitchen, café, shop, and welcome area on the ground floor.
Above this, a project space and archive were introduced to the first floor, with the second floor featuring a learning room and offices. Crucial to the success of this scheme was the façade retention; SDC used the second stage tender period to devise a strategy for retaining the façade on Castle Street in the most economical way.
The team established the façade was suitable for preservation.
SDC’s preference was to stabilise the building from the outside using a built-in scaffold but the city centre location meant that not enough path space was available for the scaffolding. Consequently, an alternative system was devised that saw the Castle Street elevation retained at no extra cost using a specialist scaffold that spanned from inside to out. This was supported by underpinning of the original foundation, an elbow brace detail connected the neighbouring Folk Museum, and a concrete vault below the façade to provide kentledge for the scaffold restraint.
Andrew Nairne, Director at Kettle’s Yard
“Visitors who knew the gallery before this development are constantly amazed at what has been achieved in quite a modest space. The new entrance area and shop connect the new parts back with the original house and create a much more welcoming starting point for a visit.”
Core Team
Gary Wykes
Board Director
Gary started his construction career at 16 as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor, combining hands-on experience with studies at Kettering and Northampton Colleges, where he earned ONC and HNC qualifications. He later obtained a part-time degree from Nottingham Trent University, completing it in five years thanks to his prior qualifications.
In the mid-1980s, Gary worked with a second company, managing projects in Hatfield and Aylesbury, before seeking a role closer to home. Joining SDC in the late 1980s, he progressed from Quantity Surveyor to Senior Quantity Surveyor and then Manager of the Special Projects Division. During the early 1990s recession, Gary played a key role in restructuring the division, which focused on smaller-scale projects. This effort helped position SDC for long-term success in a challenging economic climate.
Appointed to SDC’s Board of Directors in 2003, Gary oversees the Special Projects Division, manages key projects, and contributes to strategic and financial planning. Between 2004 and 2007, he played a role in transitioning SDC to an Employee Benefit Trust (EBT), ensuring stability and employee-centred governance. His leadership alongside the other Board Directors has been pivotal in navigating challenges and ensuring stability.
Gary has fostered enduring relationships with major clients like Jaguar Land Rover and the University of Cambridge, emphasising quality and client satisfaction. Over decades, he has supported SDC’s evolution from a more informal operation to a professional, structured organisation. As the company continues to grow and adapt, he remains committed to supporting its ongoing success and ensuring it is well-positioned to meet future challenges.
Phil Doherty
Contracts Manager
Joe Jackson
Senior Quantity Surveyor
Matt Stevens
Design Manager
Matt has been a part of SDC since 2007 and is an experienced and adaptable Senior Project Design Manager, well-versed in SDC’s collaborative and solution-driven approach. He actively engages in the pre-construction phase and stays involved throughout the project’s completion. With his broad industry experience, Matt excels at uniting the design development process, collaborating closely with both the client’s team and SDC’s internal design team to ensure the original design vision is preserved.
David Smeaton
M&E Manager
