30 PROJECT REPORT: HERITAGE, HISTORIC & ADAPTIVE REUSE


The challenge in satisfying the conservation officer was around the


“significant and interesting rooms,” says Harmer


Retaining character “We wanted to try and retain as much character as possible,” says Rory Harmer, “so you didn’t step inside and feel you were in a brand new apartment, but that you were in Belsize Fire Station.” To this end, the overarching goal was to ensure the interventions didn’t harm the existing building’s appeal, and external alterations were at a minimum, for example decorative clay tiles built into the brickwork above and below bay windows were preserved. The cobbled access roads to the north and gardens and hedging to the south have been retained.


The challenge in satisfying the conservation officer was around the “significant and interesting rooms,” says Harmer. The double-height ground floor appliance bay is huge (239 m2


) , but the


conservation officer was adamant it wouldn’t be split into separate units. “The deal was that we would be able to convert it if we kept it one unit, and open plan.” So no solid walls could extend to the ceiling, and the character and materials of the external walls had to be maintained. These included glazed bricks lining the interior and “amazing” metal hooks at high level, used to hold saddles in times past. Harmer explains the challenge: “We’ve tried to keep everything that was there. Which was difficult, because you get to a point where Building Regs and statutory requirements don’t meet the historic character of the building.” He continues: “On Grade 2* Listed schemes, the conservation officer normally wins out;


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you end up having to come to a compromise between them and Building Control.” Harmer adds that “tricky discussions” can ensue, for example on fire compliance. Here a mist sprinkler system was specified, “so it doesn’t ruin everything. You open the windows, and within a day everything dries out.” Most of the original window frames (the timber surrounds) were taken out, repaired and reused, with others replaced like for like. All of the metal inserts were in a good enough condition to be reused. Other features retained include original panelling to the former billiards room, and fireman poles.


Sustainability As Rory Harmer says, “The most environmentally-friendly building is the one that already exists.” As well as the inherent sustainability of reusing an existing building, the project aimed to “set an example in high-quality low-energy refurbishments of listed buildings,” say Tate Harmer. The ‘fabric first’ design approach saw improvements made to the building which avoided impacting the ‘heritage fabric,’ including insulation to the roof, basement (250 mm), and most external walls – those that didn’t have any historic features. This was alongside improving air tightness of the entire building including doors and windows. Harmer said however that onerous performance requirements weren’t the priority, due to the listed status: “There is a special dispensation on energy use and


ADF APRIL 2021


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