Limehouse #138
Project
Limehouse #138
Client
Enrique & Clare (& their 2 children)
Brief
Whole house reconfiguration.
Location
Tower Hamlets E14
Budget
£240k
Duration
32 weeks - Winter 2022
Project Overview:
The property is located in Limehouse within the York Square Conservation Area and is a great example of a mid Victorian terrace.
The property itself had previously undergone some interesting reconfiguration in the 80's, however this previous work was past its useable life and the brief was focussed on improving the quality and function of the various rooms and functions in the house, but also much better integrate the lower 2 floors of living accommodation, particularly the basement which was dark and disconnected form the rest of the house.
Due to family living overseas, another key part of the brief was to create a guest bedroom with separate shower room, in order to create a degree of privacy and autonomy when family came to stay for extended periods of time.
During the initial options phase of the project we identified 2 key strategies that were somewhat different from each other, in terms of location of living and guest accommodation, and how best to utilise the basement rooms. The chosen strategy was to locate the kitchen and dining space in the basement, but to remove the floor to the existing ground floor rear reception; whilst this obviously lost valuable floor space at ground floor level, it connected the whole of the basement living accommodation with the rest of the house, flooding the basement with natural light, and creating a physical, visual and audio connection between the kitchen & dining spaces in the basement, and the family living room and circulation spaces at ground floor level.
The existing guest bedroom within the rear projection (at lower ground floor level) was enlarged and refitted, with the existing WC and open-plan shower removed with a new dedicated guest shower room relocated half a floor below within the basement - doubling as a family/ children's WC.
The 2nd bedroom (within the rear projection at upper ground floor level) was refitted with integrated wardrobes, and the ceiling was removed to create a vaulted ceiling with large format rooflight - massively increasing the natural light and character of the room.
The family bathroom was also reconfigured and refitted, providing a large double ended bath, double sink, separate shower, laundry cupboard & boiler cupboard. A new heating system was then incorporated with new modern column radiators to all rooms. As usual a select palette of standard materials and products were used to provide a coordinated, high performance & cost effective finish.
Team:
Architect: ARCHEA
Building Control: Assent South East
Engineer: DEC Consulting Engineers Ltd
Contractor: Abbey Lofts
01
How did you find out about ARCHEA?
Recommendation from a friend.
02
How much did you know about domestic architectural services before you commenced the project?
Next to nothing. From our initial telephone conversation ARCHEA were very proactive and at our first meeting clearly explained their services and what we could expect during each stage of the design (and later the build) process.
03
How would you describe and value the design & management process provided by ARCHEA?
The design process was very collaborative, insightful and value adding while the management process was very useful for a relatively large project given we were quite time poor (i.e. both working full time with two young children).
04
How happy were you with the builders and the build process?
Very happy. The builders were easy to work with, pragmatic and took pride in their work. They also flagged issues that were outside the original scope of the project and proposed practical solutions to remedy these.
05
How happy are you with the finished project?
Extremely happy. Our house was completely transformed and we are enjoying all the extra light and new spaces, as well as all the previously under-utilised spaces.
06
What was the most enlightening part of the whole process?
The initial design process. ARCHEA drew up a number of different options which we discussed and debated. They also brought to our attention certain aspects of the design that we would not have considered ourselves, such as the acoustics created with the double height void and the extra light coming into the kitchen from the expanded basement lightwell.
07
Which part of the process do you believe needs the most refining or explaining to improve the overall client experience?
Perhaps the management process and clarifying the role and responsibilities of the different parties/contractors in the overall management process and where ARCHEA would focus their time and efforts.
08
Do you have any key insights that you would give to new clients embarking on their own renovation project?
Be patient, pragmatic and be prepared for unforeseen delays that are outside your and also your architect's/ builder's control. Regular communication with your architects and builders is key. And try to keep a positive mindset throughout the whole project, remembering that teamwork makes the dream work!
09
Out of 1-10, how would you rate ARCHEA’s service?
9. We were very pleased with ARCHEA's service and have recommended them to our family and friends. We could not have undertaken our renovation project and achieved the desired results without ARCHEA's involvement and support.