Written by Peter S. Whitlam Associate Director

Jefferson Sheard Architects were set the design challenge to transform a disused office building into desirable housing, providing accommodation for modern living.

We redesigned this former office building in Welwyn Garden City to repurpose it as forty-three modern one and two bedroom residential apartments.

Sector(s)

  • Housing

Value
£4.3m

Client(s)
Aldenham Residential

Location
Welwyn Garden City

Design

The core design challenge we were faced with, was to update the standard office appearance to provide a revitalised development which reads clearly as a high quality, residential building. Our response included reproportioning windows and projecting elements such as balconies to help break up the monotonous façade, providing variation and interest across the elevations. The additional storey now reads as a mansard, attic level and is clad in a dark grey metallic cladding.

The existing, glazed, office entrance, which has been retained, has been re-clad in parts to fragment the overbearing entrance feature and help provide a residential scale in keeping with the new design of the building.

The below images show the transition of the old office building, through design to the finished building.

Go to Build

Build

Via permitted development and in conjunction with a full planning application, the accommodation space has been significantly increased through adding an additional storey to the existing building and a new side extension.

Go to In-use

In-use

So as to create usable outdoor space whilst retaining privacy, modern glass balconies and a shared roof terrace were integrated into the design.

Each apartment is finished to a high specification with German fitted kitchens with Siemans appliances and quartz worktops. LED feature lighting and glass splash-backs complement the clean, modern lines of the design. The bathrooms feature Hansgrohe and Duravit fittings with high quality Catalano Vanity units. Ted Todd engineered oak flooring enhances the luxury, contemporary style.

The scheme was completed in summer 2019

The Team

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