Old Church Street

Old Church Street is a bold, 21st century addition to an historic group. Walter Gropius, Maxwell Fry and Serge Cermayeff have all contributed to a street defined by buildings distinctly of their age.

Legibility and contextual design were the key drivers behind the scheme. Old Church Street has a rich heritage of buildings built of their time. The principal street facing elevation is both a response to its context and an expression of the internal functions.

The success of the project emerged from a close dialogue with the Design Officer at RBKC who supported the vision for the project throughout the determination process.

The design responds to the elevational rhythm present in the street. This sets out a grid, within which differing scales of fenestration reflect the uses of the rooms inside: Living areas have large prominent apertures compared with the more private areas of the house such as the master dressing room. Opening solid panels combine with fixed glazing to provide ventilation, security and privacy.

The materials used are principally bronze and brick. The use of brick draws on the language of the street and its inherently rough nature is contrasted by the bronze, which is used to express details throughout the building in a precious and precise manner.