Belsize Architects worked closely with the local planning authority to provide two spacious townhouses on a difficult brownfield site in a north London Conservation Area.
The site backs onto open green space, and had been occupied by a row of six single-storey garages between a 1940s apartment block and a series of Edwardian town houses. Although the site had clear development potential, earlier attempts to develop it had failed and the site was falling into dereliction. Belsize Architects’ client sought a contemporary scheme that would overcome the planning difficulties, and accommodate two residential units of sufficiently high value to justify the development costs.
Lengthy discussions with the local planning authority established that a new scheme complements the existing buildings to either side. Planning consent was granted in August 2012, site demolition began in April 2013 and the project was completed in April 2015.
The realised scheme presents a rich, sustainable presence that complements its surroundings. A varied palette of timber, stone and glass creates an attractive and durable façade, which incorporates a series of spacious private roof terraces and balconies to provide attractive outdoor spaces. The careful use of high quality materials creates a contemporary, confident and highly attractive presence that successfully punctuates the street.
Each house is large, light and airy, and finished to a high specification. Belsize Architects worked carefully with the contractor to ensure that detailing – from timber staircases to the vertical stone cladding – was executed to an extremely high standard.