Redmayne House, built in the early 1800s is an unlisted building situated within the Clifton Conservation Area.

The property was converted into offices in the previous century but the upper floors which were arranged as cellular office spaces remained unused. Our client was granted consent to convert this to eight residential apartments.

The conversion included a change-of-use so the new apartments meet all the required aspects of current building regulations including the inclusion of internal wall insulation, and upgrading sash windows with slimline double glazing if they had not been already. A new ventilation system was sensitively installed to account for the increased number of bathrooms and kitchens. The roof includes PV panels discreetly located on the south facing roof. There is new secure cycle parking facilities to the rear courtyard and electric charging points to the front.

37 Doughty Street is a Grade II Listed Property within the Bloomsbury Conservation Area in London. The development was the conversion and reduction of seven sub-standard apartments to five apartments, one per floor, suitable for modern living. The previous works undertaken to the property, which was built around 1800, had caused much damage to the historic features both internally and externally. There was a significant dialogue and negotiation with the conservation team at Camden Council to achieve the planning approval for the sensitive refurbishment.

Although it had already been apartments the change to the number of units meant the property was treated as a change of use.

We worked closely with the Building Control Inspector and the Fire Consultant to introduce a fire strategy to satisfy the stringent requirements of London Fire. This resulted in the sensitive inclusion of a mist system throughout and the conversion of a heritage window to the communal stairs to form a new Automatic Opening Vent.

There was the opportunity to sensitively install a wood fibre insulation system to the internal face of external walls where there was an existing void remaining from the frames that once supported silk wallpaper. To the upper floors this was combined with the reinstatement of the heritage skirting and the panelled window surrounds.

The reinstatement of lime pointing to the front and rear facade helped to reduce moisture in the walls, thereby improving thermal performance, as well as halting the deterioration of the soft Georgian brickwork.

The move to a communal heating and hot water system not only allowed for improved efficiencies but also a significant reduction and co-ordination of the the pipework which had previously marred the building appearance.

The reinstatement of historic features to including the entablature and top light above the main entrance door and the reinstatement of much of the panelling to the entrance hall really helps to bring back the character of this historic property.

78 Park Street is the middle one of three houses completed in the late nineteenth century by architect, Thomas Paty (1730-1789). Examining the historic record on Know Your Place, the building first appears on the Ashmeads Map of 1828. During the war many properties on Park Street we severely bomb damaged, this includes No78 which is entirely absent from maps in the 1950s.

Nos 76-78 are Grade II Listed but No76 was entirely rebuilt with a reinforced concrete frame. The front facade was likely substantially reconstructed and this can be seen by the pattern of windows which are substantially lower than its neighbours.

The existing upper floor accommodation was badly organised with some bedrooms positioned internally with no natural daylight. We reorganised the internal layouts of the three flats to provide a considerably better living environment. This included upgrading the thermal performance and installing air source heat pumps. The skylight to the third floor was replaced and it now provides light to the communal living room and kitchen.

The project was shortlisted for the Insider Property Awards Student Housing in 2021.

No. 50 is part of the iconic Park Street in central Bristol. Park Street is a key route within the city centre but suffered significant bomb damaged in WWII with many of the bath stone fronted properties, including no. 50 having to be rebuilt in the 1950s. Recently a nightclub, the upper floors of the building are being converted to residential accommodation.

Urban Creation were keen to use innovative modular construction methods to achieve a high quality building on this tight urban site. The pods have been constructed off site in Southampton with Shu Architects working closely in the design and co-ordination.

The pods were craned in, in mid-August 2019 and the building is now complete. (Images courtesy of Go Modular Technologies (UK) Ltd)

The project was shortlisted for the Insider Property Awards Student Housing in 2021.

Historical changes had taken their toll upon the property and it was our challenge to unpick these changes. We examined and audited what original features remained, to analyse both the existing planform but also discover the building’s historical one, in order to find potential in this special but abandoned building. In understanding the property it was key to acknowledge it would never be a single dwelling again.

The challenge was how to sensitively convert the building into 6 flats suitable for modern student accommodation. The key was to re-insert and replicate the main stairs of which only a fraction remained. This helped repair the planform, bring the side entrance back into reuse and restore an element of grandure.

We restored original features where possible and restored some of the extensive damage. We had hoped to remove the external paint to uncover the original finishes but these were unfortunately in such a poor state of repair that we had to recover them with a breathable finish.

The building is not only now a home for student accommodation but also offices for Urban Creation with a wonderfully located coffee shop to the corner.

The project was delivered by Pyramid Construction, with help from BDC Structural Engineering, Jane Clayton Interiors and CSJ Planning.

The Grade II listed 17th century Manor House is set within secluded landscaped gardens and has spectacular views across the city. It was badly fire damaged in 1978 and was subsequently restored in a modern style. We renovated the Manor House and extended it to create 18 boutique student apartments for Urban Creation. It is the earliest surviving classical house within Bristol and is a provincial interpretation of a Restoration-Dutch style. It has undergone many changes over the centuries. Original period features, where present, were retained along with many of the 1980’s interventions. This approach allowed the layers of architectural history to be preserved, enriching its character. The striking extension, which was the realisation of an unbuilt 1980’s design, was adapted to modern day building standards and delicately responds to the context creating light and airy contemporary apartments. The gardens have been renovated incorporating complimentary bespoke artwork such as the laser cut steel entrance gates.

14-16 Charlotte Street are three imposing five storey Grade II* listed properties in central Bristol just off the busy thoroughfare of Park Street. The properties, originally individual dwellings, form part of a group of Georgian buildings, constructed circa 1800, which are raised up from the road level with amazing views across the city.

The properties had been interconnected and internally altered to form offices. We led the team through both planning, design and construction to convert the properties into 24 flats for Urban Creation as student accommodation. The flats were a mixture of 2 bed, 1 bed and studio flats depending on the planform.

The challenge was to upgrade the properties to be suitable for modern living, while minimising the loss of historic fabric and features. The many new kitchens and bathrooms needed to be sensitively integrated along with their services, drainage and ventilation. The apartments were upgraded to have enhanced fire protection while retaining original ceilings including the integration of a mist sprinkler system. The acoustic separation between the apartments had to be improved to ensure residents would not disturb each other.

The project was delivered by Pyramid Construction, along with BDC Structural Engineering, Sofa Library Interiors and CSJ Planning.