2019’s Best Homes: Four Listed Buildings Respectfully Renewed

No one entirely owns a listed home. They belong, in part, to the country and its heritage, whether because of their place in architectural history, their sentimental value to the area or the prestige of the people who once lived there.

Each listed home is a treasure, and to live in one it to have the honour of living in a piece of history. In exchange for this privilege, you must be its caretaker so that future generations can enjoy it as much as you do.

For architects, listed buildings are amongst the most challenging projects to take on as every brick must either be preserved, restored or have its removal justified through rigorous negotiations with heritage officers.

Despite the challenges, we have become one of the leading listed building architects in London. Here are four of the listed homes that we worked on in 2019.

17th Century Charing Cross Townhouse

This storied townhouse between Victoria Embankment and Charing Cross was originally built at part of the York House Estate back in 1677, making it one of the oldest homes that we’ve worked on.

It has taken on many roles over the centuries, first used as the residence of the Countess of Newburgh, then as part of a hotel before finding its current use as a family home.

Constantly Evolving Terraced House in Belgravia

No building is fixed in time, no matter how much effort is put into preserving it. This terraced house in Belgravia, though seemingly original from the outside, is a jigsaw puzzle made up of works throughout the ages.

Our surveys revealed construction at five distinct periods of construction: its initial form in the 1820s; a significant rear reworking in the 1870s; a post-war roof, likely to repair bomb damage; the addition of a garage in the 1950s and, finally, renovation and extension in 2007.

We will make our own mark on this constantly evolving home, removing some of incongruous, low-quality additions while sensibly extending the rear of the property to make better use of this tall, narrow building.

Grand Georgian House Beside Hampton Court Palace

This generous and beautifully proportioned Georgian house enjoys a truly royal setting, with Bushy Park on one side and the Royal Paddocks of Hampton Court Palace on the other.

It is a home that befits its setting, with exemplary Georgian architecture arranged over four spacious floors united by the stairwell at their heart. We hope to restore the home with a delicate touch, while reworking the landscaping to improve garden access from the lower ground floor.

Gothic Villa in St. John’s Wood

The St. John’s Wood Conservation Area boasts one of the highest concentrations of listed homes in the country, and this gothic villa represents an unusual architectural style unique to the area which has thankfully remained largely unaltered since it was first built in the 1850s.

This gothic style was very unusual for Victorian houses, and it more typical of the short-lived Edwardian era, when gothic and mock Tudor styles enjoyed a resurgence. The focus of our plans was internal, ensuring this architectural oddity can be enjoyed by occupants and locals for many more years.

If you have the privilege and responsibility of living in a listed home, you can’t trust just anyone to carry out works. To put its history and its future in safe hands, contact us now at [email protected]