Planning permission granted within Hatton Garden Conservation Area

Figures 1 & 2: Move your mouse over the image to see the condition before our proposed interventions. Source: 4 S Architecture.

We have successfully secured planning permission in the Hatton Garden Conservation Area for our private commercial clients to make strategic improvements to their property that will help refresh and reposition this post-war building.

The building was built in 1972 following WWII bomb damage and its street front elevation features a robust rhythm of deep chamfered window reveals surrounded by soldier course brickwork. Despite this however, the building was noted as making a ‘negative contribution’ to the Conservation Area, largely because of its setback, darkened ground floor windows where litter typically collected, and the defensive looking railings which spanned the full length of the building.

Our proposals resolve these issues through a careful re-examination of the entrance sequence and the building’s interface and interaction with the street. Railings are removed where possible and are replaced with more delicately detailed versions where they are still required to facilitate level access across level differences. Entrance steps have been re-oriented 90 degrees to create a more direct and welcoming entrance route.

The setback shopfront windows are pulled forward to not only add valuable floor area but also to create a more active street frontage. Windows on upper floors have been replaced throughout with new thermally improved models with limestone coloured frames that compliment and give a respectful nod to the Grade I & II listed nearby buildings.  Solar control is applied on the south-western facing windows to reduce solar gain, and chunky framed corner windows are replaced with more refined glass-to-glass corner joints.

It is through these subtle, strategic interventions externally that the building achieves a significantly improved street presence and now makes a more positive contribution to the Conservation Area.

Figures 3 & 4: (From left) proposed axonometric plan of the ground floor, proposed material palette. Source: 4 S Architecture.

Internally, a lighter toned natural material palette featuring oak panelling and cork flooring paired with buff coloured clay plaster walls provides a counterbalance to the darker tones of the exterior while still possessing the same warmth. This bespoke workplace interior reflects our client’s company identity and encourages cross pollination of ideas between employees through the creation of a new central ‘collaboration hub’ at the ground floor. This hub features banquet seating for more private meetings, lounge space, meeting rooms, a coffee bar, and a ‘window bar’ for occupants to drink in views of the street, neighbourhood and passers-by through new picture windows.

Figure 5: Proposed collaboration area on the ground floor. Source: 4 S Architecture.