Dorchester Abbey Choir Stalls

The design requirement of the choir stalls was unusually complex and wide ranging. It had to meet liturgical needs and the practical needs of the choir as well as be a contemporary innovative design that respected the wider architectural and decorative elements. The creative process was enhanced by the collaborative nature of the project. I enjoyed working with a small consultative team from the Abbey, including Sue Booys, the minister, to develop and refine the design.

Roundel designs

The design of the roundels has given the choir stalls a unique sense of place. I collaborated with the artist Rebecca Hind, chair of the consultative team who has an intimate appreciation of the Abbey, to identify the visual references within the Abbey that would inform the roundel designs.

Choir Stalls - Materials

The choir stalls are made in Oxfordshire oak with bronze and glass “flying” readers. Wood is always my material of choice and oak has always had a strong association with English ecclesiastical furniture. The design is therefore shaped around the characteristics and behaviour of this particular wood. The oak has been sealed with clear shellac and then waxed. What may surprise visitors is how light this natural finish is compared to the aged oak of the earlier furniture and fittings. The original furniture would have looked like the new choir stalls when they were first made!

Simplicity of design

I spent a lot of time working out the best way the choir could use the stalls and how they would be seen by the congregation and in relation to the High Altar. I worked with Tim Cook, the choir master, and members of the choir to ensure the design was fit for purpose. Once ideas have surfaced I spend a lot of time refining them, striving for elegant simplicity in my work.