Our Apartment Block project has been getting a lot of attention lately. In fact it was the feature of an article in Dezeen in September. We are incredibly proud of this home and how the incredible attention to detail makes it stand out.
A historical building
The apartment is one of several in a former school house in Clerkenwell. This is a Grade II building in a conservation area. As a result any changes to a building must meet very strict requirements. This can put limits on some projects. However, we have the skills to create wonderful designs to suit any requirements. One thing we had to do on this project was preserve the history. The building dates back all the way to 1892. It was a school house for many years but became apartments and commercial space following conversion in 2000. To preserve this, we stripped all the way back to the original architecture. We then made sure the original features are prominent in the new minimal design. A highlight of the new design is the three metre tall sash windows. These make the space really bright and open. As part of stripping back we made changes to the mezzanine, creating a two storey tall living space. This also allows more light to filter through the space.
Using timber
All throughout the new home there are beautiful pieces of inhabited joinery. For example there are 30,000 oak wood blocks covering surfaces, including the floors and the kitchen ceiling. The blocks were expertly cut and laid by hand. This is a level of attention to detail that you can't find on many properties. The staircase and handrail is also timber blocks, making it a really unique feature.
Exterior
When you work on a property in a conservation area it is vital to take care with the exterior. Projects are unlikely to get permission if the work detracts from the area or reflects poorly on neighbouring properties. To avoid this, the cladding of Apartment Block is reclaimed London stock brick. As a result it has a period feel the fits perfectly in this part of Clerkenwell.