Facade retention and creation of 3 flats and new 2 floors of office  
   
 

23 BEAUMONT MEWS, LONDON W1
FACADE RETENTION
A new mixed use building with 3 flats and 2 floors of office space

Originally two existing adjacent properties accommodating mixed use of residential, office and commercial parking. We were approached after an unsuccessful planning application on the site and worked with the client and planning authority to produce a new mixed use scheme. The facade of one building was retained with demolition of the rest of the building fabric. A new concrete frame was then constructed, providing the superstructure for two floors of new open plan office space and two upper floors of residential accommodation.

The shell approx 1,800m2 Residential over 500m2 - Total 2,300m2
Services provided - Full service inc Architects drawings

  Flats 1 & 2    

 

 Two single aspect one bedroom flats occupy the second floor. Internal openings bring light
into the hall ways and serve as a visual link to the living spaces beyond. Kitchens are open
plan and articulated to read as a combination of room furniture and culinary preparation.

 
  Flat 3 - 2 Bedroom flat    

 

 The kitchen is open plan, but recessed to allow the less aesthetic moments of the cooking
experience to be discreetly concealed. Room layouts were well planned to create ensuite
bathrooms and generous dressing areas. Roof lights bring natural daylight into the centre

 
  Common spaces and circulation    

 

 We believe that all spaces within dwellings should serve a purpose other than mere
circulation. Generous hallways are an essential and economic way of creating a generous
ambience to a dwelling and a constant feature of our work. Care and attention to
common parts serve to enhance all of the benefiting from their design.

 
  Offices    

 

 Due to the planning requirement to build the new scheme behind the existing facade,
head heights were restricted. Our solution was to keep all servicing exposed, eliminating
the need for a dropped ceiling. This move, combined with the insistance on light entering
office space from both front and rear, the maximisation of slab spans and the articulation
of mid plan support columns created a light, comfortable and popular office space.

 
  Construction process    
 

The build created a number of interesting puzzles. Facade retention on a tight urban site is not straight forward. The contractor's
solution to site facilities was to build a tree house style accomodation at the top of the scaffold. Working hours had to be tailored to
miss the BBC London news readings in the adjacent building. As with all inner London projects, the array of neighbours' interests
and party wall awards with adjacent freeholders and leasholders requires careful navigation. The logistics of site deliveries and new
utility provisions must be skillfully planned and managed.
   
  Builidng at the start Facade retention Reinforcement for concrete Scaffolding over road