The Club Row building sits on the ‘Rochelle School’ site; a pair of Grade II listed school buildings that used to serve the Shoreditch area. The building is a rare example of the schools of Edward Robson, and plans for its development attracted significant local interest. Built in 1878 in a dense slum lacking in external space, its laid-to-falls external roof formed an open playground for the children taught in the large ground floor hall.
We were asked to implement a more radical transformation for the deteriorating Infants School in order to reintegrate it into the site and attract fellow creatives. The Client’s pragmatic needs were to bring the roof deck - originally an uncovered rooftop playground - into use, and to put an end to the terrible weather damage the building was suffering. We approached our interventions in the spirit of continuing the building’s traditions of natural ventilation, light and bespoke handmade crafts, ensuring that new elements are referenced with modernity to establish their time and place.
Over the course of three years prior to construction we carried out extensive community consultations, setting up open meetings and presentations with local amenity groups, taking on board the wide desire to see the building respected. Detailed discussions with the conservation officer and local historians directed us to consider the intent of the original architect; natural ventilation and light; expressed structure; tall ceilings; and natural materials hand-fashioned by local artisans. The Grade-II listed exterior and interior were fully refurbished and carefully amended, providing 8,500 sq.ft of new office and gallery space.
Throughout the project the concept has been to engage with Robson’s idea of care and attention to building detail, and we have concentrated on how the existing building can be responsibly restored and converted to creative workspaces while protecting it for the local community for years to come.
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