Track Record/London Boroughs

Listed Building/Westminster/ Listed Interior in Belgravia

HEAT have successfully negotiated permission from Westminster Council for the complete restoration of a Grade II listed interior by Thomas Cubitt. Eaton Place was constructed in “divisions” between 1828 and 1850 and the interior of this beautiful stucco-fronted townhouse had been gutted in successive redevelopments in the 1980’s. There was little original documentation – we found the original plans and layouts in a French architectural magazine of 1855 and some interior photographs recording wartime damage. Through research we were able to track down the original moulds for the decorative plasterwork and we are recreating the original joinery; window shutters, doors, skirtings and architraves.

The floors will be relaid in solid oak boards spanning the length of the room and fixed directly to the joists to provide a feeling of authenticity and permanence.  A new staircase is required and since this is a modern element, without historical precedent, it will be expressed as a modern feature with an elegant helical design that harmonises with the interior.

Stunning modernist furnishings and artworks, sourced by designer Michael Lewis will complete the interior space.

Project 168

Won/29.01.14

Westminster/ Pimlico Planning Win

Pimlico, in the City of Westminster is an area of attractive mid-Victorian terraced houses which retain their original regular urban plan. HEAT have won a valuable planning consent for a mansard roof extension and a two storey infill extension at the rear.

Two solar panels are to be fitted to the roof to enhance the sustainability of the project and a number of external enhancements were proposed as part of the application, such as restoring missing balustrading to the front elevation. The planning authority judged that these enhancements will make a positive contribution to the Pimlico Conservation Area.

The dramatic interiors are designed to display the owners’ collection of Art Deco furniture and lighting

Project 167

Won/21.09.13

Listed Building/Westminster/ Knightsbridge Planning Success

We had an opportunity to carry out in depth research on the history of this beautiful late Regency house in Knightsbridge, which whilst being listed Grade II, was a blank canvas internally following unsympathetic conversions in the 1980’s.

Together with Dr Chris Miele of Montagu Evans we prepared an authoritative documentation of the story of the house and its occupants which gave us the confidence to propose an audacious restoration of the original plasterwork, joinery and detailing and new additions including a new floor at roof level, an exquisitely detailed glass extension at the rear and a new basement under the front garden.

Project 156

Won/09.07.13

Developer/Merton/New Build/Planning Appeal/ Appeal Success in Wimbledon

HEAT’s design for a new family house in Wimbledon was described as a “sensitive design solution” by the appeal inspector in a landmark decision this week. The inspector has overturned the decision of the London Borough of Merton to refuse permission for the demolition and rebuilding of this three storey house. The developer’s case was that the house was in such poor condition that it made a negative contribution to the Conservation Area and they proposed sensitively rebuilding the front facade to match the existing, whilst constructing a new contemporary house behind the facade. The inspector stated that “The appellants’ articulate and well-documented statements submitted with their applications present a convincing case as to why the original dwelling does not make a positive contribution to the CA.” The inspector “saw no evidence to demonstrate that the Council had been willing to enter into constructive dialogue after the applications had been submitted despite the voluminous and credible information it had received and requests to meet”, found that the Council’s behaviour was unreasonable and made a full award of costs on behalf of our clients.

Project 159

Won/01.02.13

Barnet/Developer/ New Home in North London

Our developer clients in North London had a triangular piece of land at the rear of one of their properties that was detached from the rest of the garden. HEAT have designed a stunning two-storey family home for this sensitive site. To reduce the impact of the development the volumes are broken up into two brick gabled volumes linked with a lightweight glazed bridge which provides all the circulation. The effect is to create a five bedroom 3000 sq ft house with integrated garage, but to make it appear less significant in the streetscape. A mature English oak in the garden has been retained, providing shading from the Southerly aspect in the summer.

Project 164

Won/25.01.13

Islington/ Islington House Transformed

HEAT have achieved success in a tricky planning application to rebuild a rear extension in a sensitive street in Islington; adding a floor to the rear extension and creating a full width extension at the lower level. This image shows the rear of the house before and after. The alterations required conservation area consent and consent for tree works from Islington Council and HEAT had to calculate the effect of the extension on the neighbours’ sunlight and daylighting. The house was completely transformed internally; where it had been narrow and dark, planes of glass bring in borrowed light and create a sense of space. The staircase was rebuilt so that the ceiling in the opened out basement could be flat. As project architect Michael Feinberg says “This was a tricky three dimensional jigsaw puzzle  requiring very careful detailing and accurate construction, but the end result is a transformation”.

Project 154

Won/07.05.12

Developer/Kensington & Chelsea/ New Apartment Created from Nowhere

With the pressure on housing in London it makes sense to maximise the space available. HEAT have won planning consent for a new flat in an existing mansion block on High Street Kensington that has been created out of a collection of store rooms and utility rooms that were no longer required as plant size reduces. This spacious self-contained two bedroom flat with en-suite bathrooms, concealed lighting, built-in furniture and a solid oak front door seems to have appeared from nowhere and substantially enhances the value for the building freeholders.

Project 099

Won/09.01.12

Developer/Kensington & Chelsea/ The flat that came from nowhere

A large residential apartment block in Kensington had once had a live-in porter, but had changed to external staff years ago. In the lower ground floor, the porter’s flat had been mothballed and forgotten. We opened up this time capsule and combined it with redundant storage spaces to create a spacious and light two bedroom flat with its own self-contained entrance. HEAT obtained planning consent from Kensington and Chelsea for the conversion and brought a new apartment into being, apparently from nowhere!

Project 144

Won/15.02.11

Kensington & Chelsea/Permitted development/ Chelsea house underway

A new project is on site in Chelsea. Principally an internal makeover of a terraced house; all the alterations will be accomplished under permitted development. Internal walls are being removed in the basement to open the space up and allow a new kitchen and family room to be created. Upstairs a fireplace focal point is being created where a chimney breast had been removed.

Project 157

Won/15.10.10

Developer/Lambeth/ The Loughborough Hotel

Three Victorian pubs once faced each other across this busy intersection in Lambeth. The upper floors of the Loughborough Hotel had been converted to flats, however the bar remained, boarded up and untenanted. This area is certainly up and coming, but our drawings were still pinched from the front door step where we had left them when our back was turned. HEAT worked with surveyors Fleurets to obtain a valuable residential use for this building and bring 3000 sq ft of space back into use with an innovative contemporary design.

Project 138

Won/15.08.10