Previously a School of Music, Tower House School was founded in September 1931 with only 3 boys. Today, Tower House School provides education for 180 pupils from the local and surrounding boroughs. Covering pupils from age four to 13, the school had outgrown its Edwardian home which means that the once adequate classrooms are no longer suitable for employing 21st century teaching methods.
The development of 190 Sheen Lane provided four new classrooms with more space per child, providing a less cramped environment more conducive to todays teaching. A multi- purpose performance and play space also provides an indoor play facility that the school does not presently have, whilst also providing a flexible space which could be used for a number of different activities and events throughout the academic year, as well as the potential for community use during out of school hours.
We undertook a detailed, historical assessment of East Sheen which enabled us as designers, and the school as the client, to better understand the context and needs of the conservation area that the school sits within.
The removal of the unsympathetic residential building from the existing plot was a positive opportunity and in doing do so aiding in reinstating the architectural quality and unity of the streetscape. The new classroom building is sympathetic to the streetscape through the designed frontage to Sheen Lane and its choice of materials. We allowed the qualities of the surrounding buildings of the conservation area to subtly lead the new building in a form that is respectful and in keeping with the qualities of the Sheen Lane Conservation Area. The single storey multi-use space to the west of the site is partly hidden from Sheen Lane by the new classroom block that fronts the road. Its visual impact to the rear of the plot will be minimised through keeping the building’s height below that of the classroom block in front of it.
The first floor rooms of the building are partially within the roof space in order to maximize the new floor area gained whilst keeping the height subservient to the adjacent Building of Merit. Features that characterize the conservation area include bay windows, pitched roofs, dormer windows, and other typical Edwardian residential scale features.
"Following discussion we consider that this latest version is a good scheme, appropriate for the setting, but with buildings having a distinctive personality. The indication of materials shown has a good balance overall. In addition, this provides a good opportunity to improve the frontage treatment along Sheen Lane."
Conservation Team - Richmond and Wandsworth Councils
As part of our ongoing feasibility work for the Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership CIC, we’ve been exploring a range of potential approaches to improving accessibility through Hincaster Tunnel 🏗️
These early options focus on how level access might be achieved while respecting the tunnel’s historic fabric and unique character - current ideas under review include options such as a boardwalk and a `Roman road`.
These ideas form part of an early-stage assessment, intended to help understand what might be possible in the future. Further structural investigation will be essential to determine how any intervention could be delivered without compromising the historic tunnel.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue the exploratory work and supporting the long-term ambitions for the @towpath_trail 🌿
#Architecture #Lancaster #LancasterCanalTowpathTrail
Dec 1
We`ve been appointed by the Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership CIC to explore the next steps in improving accessibility along the Lancaster Canal @towpath_trail 🍃
Our role is to prepare a feasibility study focused on the future potential of Hincaster Tunnel - a 346m Grade II listed structure and one of the canal’s most significant heritage assets.
The study will consider:
👉 How level access might be achieved
👉 How the tunnel’s historic character can be better revealed
👉 How this remarkable structure could become a true `jewel in the crown` of the Towpath Trail
This work builds on ongoing investment along the 28-mile route, including earlier upgrades near Stainton supported by Sport England, and more recent funding through the Rural Shared Prosperity Fund to continue improvements toward Holme.
We look forward to helping shape the possibilities for this much-loved route, celebrating the heritage of the important historic site while exploring ways it could become more accessible for everyone 🙌
#Architecture #Lancaster #LancasterCanalTowpathTrail
Nov 28
Located within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Thwaite Farm is a working farm with a collection of traditional buildings steeped in rural character. We were commissioned to oversee the careful repair and conservation of the Grade II listed barn complex, ensuring its continued use and longevity within the landscape 🌿🚜
A detailed inspection and structural appraisal identified long-term issues including water ingress, timber decay, and structural deformation. The repair strategy focused on sensitive conservation, undoing unsympathetic past alterations and reinstating traditional craftsmanship throughout.
The barns were re-roofed using locally sourced Burlington Blue Strong slates, traditionally laid in random widths and diminishing courses to match the original vernacular form. Air-dried oak was used for replacing structural timbers, each jointed by hand to mirror historic techniques.
This project exemplifies a balanced approach to heritage and function - preserving the integrity of traditional rural architecture while supporting the ongoing life of a working farm 🌾
#HeritageConservation #Architecture #HeritageArchitecture #YorkshireDales
Nov 24
