Thoughts, reflections and a record of day to day events and processes at Urban Mesh

Trip to Margate

Aug 26 – Trip to Margate

A team visit to Margate, combining sightseeing with a lesson on how building materials can be recycled

48 Harley St

Jun 26 – 48 Harley St

Works are coming to an end...

8 Bentinck St – Glazed Bricks

May 26 – 8 Bentinck St – Glazed Bricks

A brick sample panel was constructed to help visualise the proposed glazed brick finish for the building

Rowley Way

Apr 26 – Rowley Way

Commencing work on Grade II Listed building at Rowley Way – an iconic 1970s social scheme by Neave Brown. Acting as designers and BR PD on this HRB project

8 Bentinck St

Mar 26 – 8 Bentinck St

Works to renovate the commercial Grade II Listed Building commence on site

17 Welbeck St

Feb 26 – 17 Welbeck St

Works to renovate medical/commercial Grade II Listed Building commence on site

AI – How it is changing Construction/Design industry

Jan 26 – AI – How it is changing Construction/Design industry

Great changes afoot? - See Our article - https://www.urbanmesh.com/project/ai-and-design-construction/

Twist House used as location for TV series

Dec 25 – Twist House used as location for TV series

Twist House was used as a location for Little Drummer Girl TV adaptation which has been re-released by BBC on iplayer. The house features as a safe house towards the end of episode 5.

Recent whole life carbon reports

Nov 25 – Recent whole life carbon reports

We’ve recently completed Stage 4 Whole Life Carbon reports for refurbishment projects in Marylebone. Our assessments ensure that each project meets the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard targets. We also identify the materials with the greatest impact on embodied carbon and propose strategies to reduce it.

Old friend returns

Oct 25 – Old friend returns

Mash, the tortoise returns to the office for a brief stay

7 Bentinck St – Completes

Sep 25 – 7 Bentinck St – Completes

Bentinck St completes - the conversion of a residential building into mixed use with three floors of flats, and three floors of office space, connecting the mews building behind to form a new office entrance. More can be seen here

Brick development in office

Aug 25 – Brick development in office

Using 1/8 sized bricks (half size in each dimension) specially made for us by HG Matthews, we are exploring some brick arch options

Finishing Touches to Bentinck St

Jul 25 – Finishing Touches to Bentinck St

The installer trying out the laminated walk on glass

Urban Mesh visit the Elizabeth Tower

Jun 25 – Urban Mesh visit the Elizabeth Tower

Urban Mesh visit the recently refurbished Elizabeth Tower and Stirling Prize finalist and climb the 334 steps up to Big Ben

Blandford St submitted for planning

May 25 – Blandford St submitted for planning

Proposals to renovate 7 flats and three retail units in Marylebone submitted for planning

CDW – Parabolic Arches

May 25 – CDW – Parabolic Arches

Clerkenwell Design week as ever bringing interesting items to EC1, including this brick/stone parabolic arch

Principal Designer – Building Regulations

Apr 25 – Principal Designer – Building Regulations

James has been registered as RIBA Principal Designer for both General and HRB class.   See here for more about our BR PD services

Elem Cambridge completes

Apr 25 – Elem Cambridge completes

The latest Elem hairdressers completes in Grand Arcade in Cambridge.  The shop unit had been a hair dressers and Elem refitted with brand design we created in their Guildford branch. See more here

New fire rated mansard details

Mar 25 – New fire rated mansard details

Following changes in Building Regulations, mansard roof build up has been changed so that the elements are all non combustible when buildings are over 11m

7 Bentinck St on site

Mar 25 – 7 Bentinck St on site

7 Bentinck St on site. The renovation and extension of an existing office into the rear mews to form a high quality office building.

24 Queen Anne St completes

Feb 25 – 24 Queen Anne St completes

24 Queen Anne St completes. The Grade II Listed mixed use residential and medical building completes with The Retina Clinic, London moving in.

8 Bentinck St – new glazed brick extension

Jan 25 – 8 Bentinck St – new glazed brick extension

8 Bentinck St - new glazed brick extension. Grade II Listed building with a new extension which reflects on the original Georgian detailing.

Artist studio detail

Jan 25 – Artist studio detail

We returned to a project we completed a few years ago - 4 Marylebone Mews which was the Sculpture studio for Thomas Woolner. He was a Pre Raphelite Sculptor - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Woolner

Gingerbread City 2024

Dec 24 – Gingerbread City 2024

Ready to blast off - BT tower doubles up as a rocket for people to escape the city

1 Hinde St – new shopfront and office building

Dec 24 – 1 Hinde St – new shopfront and office building

1 Hinde St was a tired 90s repro Georgian building with poor street frontage. We have renovated the entire building and design a completely new shopfront to invigorate this corner of Marylebone. Sealskinz moved in in time for Christmas rush.

11 Weymouth St – completes

Nov 24 – 11 Weymouth St – completes

Weymouth St completes - the conversion of an office building into a block of 6 new residential units in London W1. More can be seen here

Planning submitted for new houses

Oct 24 – Planning submitted for new houses

We have submitted a planning application to replace two converted barns with three new low carbon houses in Somerset near Bruton

Elem Guildford opens

Oct 24 – Elem Guildford opens

Elem Guildford opens. Following our concept design for Elem, the latest unit opens in Guildford

5 Codrington Mews completes

Sep 24 – 5 Codrington Mews completes

5 Codrington Mews has completed. Gianni and his team have completed the project and the house has gone on the market.

Serpentine Gallery – Summer 2024

Aug 24 – Serpentine Gallery – Summer 2024

A visit to this years Serpentine Gallery pavilion in Hyde Park by Minsuk Cho

Wigmore St completes

Jul 24 – Wigmore St completes

The renovation and rearrangement at 56 Wigmore St completes. 8 new brilliant flats.

James appointed to ATLG Board

Jun 24 – James appointed to ATLG Board

James has joined the board of the ATLG.   The Architectural Technical Leads Group (ATLG) is a forum for architects and designers to discuss technical issues, share knowledge and resources, and drive improvement in the UK construction industry. See more - https://atlg.uk/

7 Bentinck St – Blue plaque

May 24 – 7 Bentinck St – Blue plaque

Bentinck St - Blue Plaque for historian Edward Gibbon, the building has been sympathetically restored. Gibbon lived in the building from 1773-1783 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Gibbon

Chi Bluewater opens

May 24 – Chi Bluewater opens

Chi Bluewater opens. Chi continues to expand and we complete the latest opening in the Bluewater shopping center - our seventh

Clerkenwell Design Week

May 24 – Clerkenwell Design Week

Clerkenwell Design Week - a great three day expo of design on our doorstep.  It also a fine opportunity to visit some of the extraordinary local buildings - including Clerkenwell Prison

Architects’ Company

Apr 24 – Architects’ Company

Oliver is admitted to the the Worshipful Company of Architects - see https://architectscompany.org/

Codrington Mews nears completion

Apr 24 – Codrington Mews nears completion

As the new basement under an existing mews house, nears completion, Henry moves in Click here for http://www.urbanmesh.com/

24 Queen Anne St – Site boots

Mar 24 – 24 Queen Anne St – Site boots

24 Queen Anne St - Site boots. The renovation of the Grade II Listed building continues..

19 Portland Place planning submitted

Feb 24 – 19 Portland Place planning submitted

Planning submitted for a new roof extension to this Grade II* listed building as part of a general refurbishment of this medical building.

New Food Hall opens in Canterbury

Feb 24 – New Food Hall opens in Canterbury

Our new concept Food Hall in Canterbury opened. It is the fit out of a unit at the new Riverside development with a series of food offering based around a central bar

Hinde St starts on site

Jan 24 – Hinde St starts on site

Hinde St starts on site.  The projects is to renovate a 1980s office and shop, with a new shopfront and improved access.

James starts

Jan 24 – James starts

James Ballard joins urban mesh as a project architect

Gingerbread City 2023

Dec 23 – Gingerbread City 2023

Urban Mesh embraced this years theme of 'Water in Cities' at the MOA exhibition with the creation of a fabulous igloo structure and penguin community.

Chi Derby

Dec 23 – Chi Derby

A new Chi opens up in the Derbion center - our fifth Chi

24 Queen Anne street

Nov 23 – 24 Queen Anne street

Work continues on the mixed use scheme at 24 Queen Anne St, including careful restoration of the building's historic doors and panelling.

Elem Didcot

Oct 23 – Elem Didcot

The second Elem hairdressers to open in Didcot, following our concept design.

63 Upper Berkeley street completes

Sep 23 – 63 Upper Berkeley street completes

63 Upper Berkeley street completes this month. Five new flats in Central London

27 Wimpole St – Planning submitted

Aug 23 – 27 Wimpole St – Planning submitted

New proposals submitted for planning for 27 Wimpole St, London

56 Wigmore street on site

Aug 23 – 56 Wigmore street on site

56 Wigmore street starts on site. The scheme is for the redevelopment of the residential upper floors of the building whilst the restaurant on the ground floor remains open.

Roman Brickwork

Jul 23 – Roman Brickwork

Bricks have been around for many centuries and these are Roman columns in Pompei

Chi Northants Opens

Jun 23 – Chi Northants Opens

Our sixth Chi restaurant opening in Northants and the largest to date.

Clerkenwell Design Week

May 23 – Clerkenwell Design Week

Installation as part of this year's CDW

63 Upper Berkeley Street

Apr 23 – 63 Upper Berkeley Street

Works progressing including renovating and rejuvenating the original metal railings to the front elevation

New basement to Codrington Mews

Mar 23 – New basement to Codrington Mews

Works progress at Codrington Mews where the new basement shell is nearing completion

Chi, New Oxford street

Mar 23 – Chi, New Oxford street

A new Chi on New Oxford street is now up and running with great reviews !

Quantain Country House

Feb 23 – Quantain Country House

Initial proposals for a new country house in undulating Buckinghamshire countryside.

Harris Scotland Cottage refurbish

Jan 23 – Harris Scotland Cottage refurbish

Work slows down on renovation of a croft on Harris as the snow starts.

56 Wigmore St

Dec 22 – 56 Wigmore St

Where the old brick chimney breasts had been removed to enlarge the tight living rooms, it exposed beautiful brickwork.

Beaconsfield Later Years

Nov 22 – Beaconsfield Later Years

Initial Scheme for Later Years Housing for Savista

Doors on site

Nov 22 – Doors on site

Historic doors on site are stored

Whole Life Carbon

Oct 22 – Whole Life Carbon

We have completed another Whole Life Carbon Assessment for project in Marylebone. the image shows the relative amounts of embodied carbon of the building elements in the project.

Battersea Power Station Visit

Sep 22 – Battersea Power Station Visit

Visit to the new Battersea development including the Power Station and the Frank Gehry housing

63 UBS start on site

Aug 22 – 63 UBS start on site

Works start on the new 4no flats on Upper Berkeley St. With maisonettes on top and bottom floors and one bedroom flats in between.

Elem Hair

Jul 22 – Elem Hair

Options for new hairdresser chain Elem Hair to expand across the UK

Shooters Lane Housing Shortlisted for Housing Design Awards

Jun 22 – Shooters Lane Housing Shortlisted for Housing Design Awards

We are pleased to announce that we have been shortlisted for the 2022 Housing Design Awards! Good luck to all those shortlisted.

Anita Gelato completes

Jun 22 – Anita Gelato completes

Anita Gelato opens just in time for summer.

Urban Mesh supports The Kyiv Independent

May 22 – Urban Mesh supports The Kyiv Independent

Yesterday marked 40 days of war in Ukraine. At Urban Mesh we’ve been following the events through The Kyiv Independent an independent English-language journal in Ukraine. In particular one of their reporters, Illia Ponomarenko’s twitter feed is quite lively.

42-44 Seymour Place Planning

Apr 22 – 42-44 Seymour Place Planning

Renovation of a four flat building with new terraces.

Crane finishes

Mar 22 – Crane finishes

Crane completes in West London comes to an end - delivering 27 new flats to Hyde Housing Association

Beaumont Mews Office completes

Feb 22 – Beaumont Mews Office completes

Roof extension and refurbishment of office building completes with complex staircase tying two buildings together.

Anita ice cream shop starts

Jan 22 – Anita ice cream shop starts

The works have started on the first UK branch of the Israeli based company Anita Gelato to open soon in Covent Garden.

Gingerbread City 2021

Dec 21 – Gingerbread City 2021

Our contribution to Gingerbread City - a transport interchanged with LED signage and twisting light

Weymouth Mews Completes

Nov 21 – Weymouth Mews Completes

A lovely house renovation completes

Mandeville Completes

Nov 21 – Mandeville Completes

Wonderful lateral conversion apartment completes with copper roof and special decorative effects

Whole Life Carbon Assessment Somerset

Oct 21 – Whole Life Carbon Assessment Somerset

Whole Life Carbon Assessment for very low carbon houses near Bruton in Somerset. The Assessment enables us to amend the design to reduce the embodied carbon.

New Houses Double Zero Carbon

Oct 21 – New Houses Double Zero Carbon

We have designed a pair of houses which are ZERO operational carbon and ZERO embodied making them - Double Zero houses. Significant steps towards zero carbon world.

12 Upper Wimpole completes

Sep 21 – 12 Upper Wimpole completes

12 Upper Wimpole Street refurbishment has completed on site. Look out for photos of this upgraded a Grade II Listed Building soon.

Crane tops out

Aug 21 – Crane tops out

The project tops out and the flats start being fitted out.

50 Weymouth Street completes

Jul 21 – 50 Weymouth Street completes

Works to create a new rear roof extension to 50 Weymouth Street have completed on site. A beautiful set of new flats have alrady been snapped up by some lucky tennants.

Works progressing at The Crane

Jun 21 – Works progressing at The Crane

Building taking shape during our office visit our west London residential scheme.

Apartment nearly completes

May 21 – Apartment nearly completes

Beautiful internal decoration with inspired by dazzle camouflage, breaks down the form of the room.

Artist’s tools

May 21 – Artist’s tools

Brushes belonging to Mark Callup's team on site, creating incredible paint effects - faux marble and beautiful scenery.

Kirkdale Road

Apr 21 – Kirkdale Road

We have completed the concept design for a new residential development and hotel conversion in south London. Check out the project here

Crane housing project continues

Mar 21 – Crane housing project continues

The block work has started to emerge from the foundations

Mandeville approaches completion

Feb 21 – Mandeville approaches completion

Mandeville Place project is approaching completion with some complex and beautiful decorative finishes, including the silver leaf gilding to a barrel vault.

Temporary propping at Weymouth Street

Jan 21 – Temporary propping at Weymouth Street

To create basement under existing building, extensive temporary propping required.

Star has risen

Jan 21 – Star has risen

We are excited to share that one of our architects, Guiseppe Ferrigno, has been selected as one of RIBAJ's Rising Starts 2020 for his work as part of the Re-Fabricate design collective. Re-Fabricate is a group of young architectural professionals unified by the ambition to eradicate waste from the construction and manufacturing industries. Check out their website at https://www.re-fabricate.co.uk/media

James becomes accredited Conservation Architect

Nov 20 – James becomes accredited Conservation Architect

RIBA Conservation Architects have in-depth knowledge and experience of working with historic buildings.

10 Wimpole St

Nov 20 – 10 Wimpole St

Works started on site on the renovation and new basement under the Grade II house and mews house

The Crane project starts on site

Oct 20 – The Crane project starts on site

New foundations are dug on site as part of the start of the Crane housing project for 27 new flats.

Works continue at Mandeville Place

Sep 20 – Works continue at Mandeville Place

Structural Openings at Mandeville Place - with large goalpost steel openings.

Brick visit

Aug 20 – Brick visit

Following our visit to HG Matthews brick factory, our bespoke bricks are ready for the kiln. See https://www.hgmatthews.com/