Renovation of a house of Townscape Merit

The final photos of our project for the renovation of a house of Townscape Merit are now online

Our residential projects in South West London (squareonearchitects.co.uk)

This project was a remarkable opportunity for Square One Architects to contribute to the preservation and enhancement of a historic 1920 house in Hampton. Situated within the Hampton Village Conservation Area, this property holds Townscape Merit, highlighting its unique significance. While the house underwent a refurbishment in 2003, certain parts of the structure were left untouched and now require attention.

One of our main objectives was to improve accessibility to the basement, which was previously accessed via a steep and outdated stairwell. Our solution involved replacing this outdated stair with a sleek and modern design, ensuring safer and more convenient access. By doing so, we not only addressed the functionality of the basement but also allowed an abundance of natural daylight to flood into the ground floor, creating a welcoming and open atmosphere.

In addition to optimizing the basement for accessibility, we transformed it into a versatile space, serving as a third bedroom complete with a comfortable sofa bed and a home gym. To further enhance its functionality, a new bathroom with a shower was also incorporated into the design.

Accompanying the basement remodel, we also adapted the entrance lobby to seamlessly connect with the new stairwell, providing a cohesive and harmonious transition between floors.

Envisioning the project holistically, we recognized the need to improve the overall approach to the house. As a result, we designed a new pedestrian access in correspondence with the wider section of the sidewalk on the main road. This not only enhances the curb appeal of the property but also ensures a safe and welcoming entrance for residents and visitors alike.

Understanding the importance of natural light, we incorporated two new skylights on the first level of the house. This strategic design decision amplifies the distribution of daylight throughout the entire space, creating a bright and airy ambiance that elevates the overall aesthetic.

The client’s brief also included the refurbishment of an existing green house. Conscious of preserving the original features, the contractor undertook a meticulous approach during the refurbishment process. Striving to retain as many original components as possible, we ensured the seamless blend of historical charm with modern functionality.

Lastly, our scope of work extended to the complete rewiring of the house and the installation of new lighting fixtures, guaranteeing a safe and contemporary electrical infrastructure.
Overall, this project allowed Square One Architects to not only make significant alterations to a historic 1920 house but also to honor its legacy and contribute to the Hampton Village Conservation Area. Our attention to detail and commitment to preserving the original character of the property ensured a seamless integration of modern enhancements while maintaining its timeless charm.

Claremont House, Esher

Another sketch that dates to 2015 of Claremont House in Esher, Surrey.

I was fascinated by this building due to its relevance in architectural history and the illustrious figures that contributed to its design. It is also another example of architecture that is very familiar with my northern Italian roots, given the obvious Palladian style of the house.

The history of Claremont House in Esher

The mansion dates to the 18th century and it is a fine example of Palladian architecture. The building was designed by Lancelot “Capability” Brown with the help of his future son-in-law Henry Holland, since Brown saw himself more of a landscape designer then an architect. A young John Soane also worked as a draughtsman in Harry Holland office at the time. The client commissioned the project is 1769.

Aside from the obvious influence of Andrea Palladio, the interiors of Claremont House have been inspired by the work of Robert Adam.

The construction of the property was completed in 1774 the same year when the owner and client Lord Clive died aged fourty-nine.

Claremont House is obviously one of the highlights of Surrey architecture and it's worth the visit. Today the property is owned by the national trust and it is a Grade 1 Listed Building.

Sir John Soane's Museum

A sketch from a recent visit to the Soane Museum. The handkerchief vault really feels like it is floating in light!

Sir John Soane’s museum is an unusual and incredibly interesting museum for anybody who is into neo-classical architecture. The museum is in Holborn, Central London and it is easily accessible by public transportations. Built in 1837, the building hasn’t essentially changed since its construction due to an Act of Parliament that stated the building should be maintained in its current condition, ironically to protect the building from Soane’s old son with whom the architect had has a long time feud.

Soane’s himself treated the building as an architectural laboratory where he tested his theories. One of the peculiarities of this building is that most of its natural daylight is drawn from the top, making it an absolute must for anyone who interested in daylight.

One of the most interesting aspects of daylight coming from the top (or technically speaking the “zenith”) is that it is very intense during overcast days. Anybody living in Britain knows that skies are usually very cloudy, and skylights tend to shine with this condition.

I spent some time in the museum on my own during my lighting studies at the UCL and I sketched the Breakfast Room whose most prominent feature is the famous “handkerchief vault”.

Soane’s canopy dome meant to inspire the feeling of a weightless ceiling, like an inflated handkerchief that seems to be floating over the room. The effect in real life is very dramatic.

The dome is shallow and develops from a squared base, a typical theme in Soane’s architecture.

The same design was later incorporated in other iconic designs such as Soane’s own tomb and the traditional red telephone box.

A virtual tour of the museum can be taken here.

St Mary's Parish Church, Hampton

St Mary's is the main church in Hampton, and it represents one of most significant and prominent local landmarks.

The present church was built in 1831 and it is a fine example of Gothic Revival. Its interiors were modified in the 1860’s and the church was refurbished at different stages including in 1920 where a war memorial screen to the fallen of world war I.

Previously on the same grounds stood another church built of flint and stone that was demolished in 1830. The old church had been extended through the centuries as it always happens with this type of historic buildings and featured a brick tower that was replaced in the XVII century.

Since the XV century the church featured a schoolroom for the Hampton School and today it runs a free school.

It was a pleasure to sketch the church next to the river on a nice sunny day. The setting is wonderful, with great views of the Thames and Garrick island. The church is located in the Hampton Village Conservation Area and it is a very prominent feature from many of our projects, in particular our historic house renovation in the heart of Hampton and our project for a deck on an island in the middle of the Thames right in front of the Church.

It is also located next to other significant Hampton landmarks like Garrick’s temple and the Hampton Library and Waterworks down the road towards Sunbury.

A walk through Hampton

I recently had a walk through Hampton and stopped here and there to sketch some its historic buildings. The first stop was Hampton Library, a very interesting Georgian building on Thames Street built by John Beard, celebrated actor and contemporary of David Garrick. Originally called Rose Hill, the building was erected in 1774, exactly 20 years after Garrick's villa. 

The Hampton library is lovely space and it serves the community very well. It also features a beautiful area for children that can approach reading at a very young age.

It also sits right in front of the district water works building another very interesting example of 19th century architecture in Hampton. The waterworks buildings dealt with a clean end of the process and this is one of the reasons why the western suburbs of London have been historically very desirable. The waterworks also mark the exit from Greater London and stand at the entrance to Hampton Village both by the Thames and from Sunbury Road. They are a wonderful local landmark with several buildings being listed.

It is interesting to note the close relationship that these two buildings have with the A308 road being the only separation.

Several historic buildings surrounding both the library and the waterworks relate somehow to small industrial and commercial activities with an access from Thames Street and alleyways leading to the river. The ferry boat house has been active since the 16th century and it is still running a regular ferry service today.

As an office we worked on a project for a historic property right at the entrance of the nearby Church Street. The building used to be used as a blacksmith’s workshop and it was then replaced in the 1930’s by a boatyard building that is still forming the main fabric of the house today. The boatyard was then turned into a recording studio in the 1970’s (some say that Pink Floyd played there!) and then converted into a rather eclectic house. I will post more details about the building and our project in another blog post soon.

Downstream we can also find Garrick’s Villa and its temple along with St. Mary’s church that I have mentioned in two other blog posts.

Iacopo

Garrick's Temple

I sketched this pavilion in 2015 while I was walking along the river. The building dates back to 1756 and it was built by the actor David Garrick in Hampton to honor William Shakespeare.

As an architect based in Hampton, I am particularly interested in the local Hampton architecture.

Garrick's temple to Shakespeare stands out as one of the finest examples of classical style architecture in the area and it always intrigued me as a very singular building.

The temple is located next to the River Thames, right in front of Garrick’s Villa.

The architect of the temple is unknown although there has been speculation that the temple could have been designed by Robert Adam. What we know for certain is that the temple is heavily inspired by the architecture of the Pantheon in Rome or the Chiesa della Gran Madre in Turin. I used to pass in front of this church during my years studying at the Politecnico di Torino and the architecture of the temple always felt very familiar.

The temple had been used by Garrick as a working space, it was supposed to be literally a garden office for his villa. I really understand Garrick’s need to separate between house and work which is something that I advocate very strongly! My office sits right behind my house so I can relate somehow (although my office is not as majestic as the temple!).

Today the building is Grade II Listed and it can be visited by the public. I feel very attached to this building due to its prominence in Hampton, but also the fact that it sits right in front of one of our projects located in an island in the middle of the river.

I feel very fortunate to live and work in this beautiful part of London and I strongly believe that the temple is one of the great highlights of this area.

Iacopo

PS: more information can be found here.