When Thomas Cubitt laid out his plans for the gridiron of Regency terraced streets that would become Belgravia, he could not have foreseen the inception of the motorcar. Its arrival in the neighbourhood would bring with it a train of garages inconsistent with his proposals. This project succeeded in restoring integrity to the streetscape, securing planning consent from the City of Westminster and landlord consent from the Grosvenor Estate in the process.
All floor levels were adjusted to improve internal head-height, with the lower ground floor level dropped and the garage converted into habitable space to be utilised as an open-plan kitchen and dining area. The existing garage door was refurbished with an additional band of windows that retain their original character, in keeping with the requirements of the conservation architecture area. Every effort was made to improve the quality of the fixtures and fittings.
Without doubt, the focal point is the staircase which traverses the entire height of the building to arrive at the new floor created in the attic. This five-storey void is lit by the existing openings of the front façade, with Crittal doors separating the principal living spaces and roof lights illuminating the new fourth floor. It maximises the full width and depth of the floor plan and generates an exciting flow of well-connected spaces for the family dwelling.
In pushing the staircase back to the rear of the property and removing unnecessary walls and doorways, we were able to introduce views through the entire length of the property, and frame features of possible interest. In pulling back the floor plate on the upper floors, it was possible to create a similar visual effect on the y-axis. This helped satisfy our client’s vision of an unexpected interior space, incomparable with anything else on the street.
Photography by Lorenzo Zandri
