WESTMINSTER APARTMENT

Grade II listed apartment refurbishment

Location

Paddington, London

Completion Date

September 2023

Size of Project

140* sqm

Scope of works

Comprehensive refurbishment
Listed Building Consent
Licence to Alter
Architectural services
Interior design
Contractor engagement
Project coordination
Site oversight
Plans, 3D drawings, details
Bespoke joinery design, including kitchen
Fixtures and Fittings

OUR CLIENT

Through a common acquaintance, Atelier EURA was brought to the project when the consultant assisting the clients with design and planning/Listed Building matters was no longer able to deliver the project.

The intent was to amalgamate two adjacent properties to enable the clients to relocate to the capital from the Home Counties.

Our initial role was envisaged as design coordination; however, as the project progressed, this expanded to include statutory liaison, technical development and construction-stage support.

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

We were introduced to atelier EURA via the managing agents of our Grade II listed apartment in Bayswater. We contacted Cristina and immediately felt reassured that we were in the right hands.

Our project was to combine another apartment into our original. Cristina came to us and after discussions got straight to the heart of our wishes. What we didn't really understand were the myriad complexities of what we were embarking on, but luckily Cristina did.

From the get go she impressed on us the need for accuracy and thoroughness throughout, no short cuts, taking us through planning, design, engagement of trusted artisans etc.

Alexa Young, CA

THE STRATEGY

Having spent a year exploring options with the previous consultant, the general use of spaces had been defined and specialist packages allocated. However, once the project commenced, findings revealed during the soft strip highlighted the need for renewed dialogue with the conservation officer and a reassessment of several design assumptions.

This stage required careful coordination between client, contractor and statutory authorities, ensuring that emerging constraints were addressed without compromising the overall intent. Throughout, design decisions were discussed openly with the clients, who valued being actively involved in the process.

THE KITCHEN

The original proposal envisaged a relatively compact kitchen, with a new connection between the two properties formed through the party wall. Structural investigations, however, necessitated a revision of this approach.

The connection was relocated to a later infill section of the party wall, believed to correspond with the subdivision of the building into apartments in the 1990s. This solution allowed the kitchen to be reconfigured more effectively while responding sensitively to the building’s history and structural logic.

THE MASTER BEDROOM

By retaining both original front entrances, it was possible to create a concealed fire lobby, flanked by kitchen units on one side and wardrobes on the other. Although the fire-rated construction and doors represented a significant investment, this approach allowed the original proportions and character of each room to be preserved.

THE SHOWER ROOMS

The apartment included multiple shower rooms: two existing and one newly introduced to the master bedroom.

Introducing new services within an apartment can be particularly challenging. In this case, level changes created during the subdivision of the property approximately 25 years ago left voids between separating structures. These voids were carefully utilised to route services discreetly, avoiding unnecessary intervention into historic fabric while maintaining performance and compliance.