Grade II Listed Building Retrofit, Bayswater
Porchester Court is a heritage restoration project, to refurbish and reconfigure the existing 36 apartments, with a sustainable retrofit strategy at the forefront of the design.
The apartments are contained within three Grade II listed Victorian Terraces in Georgian style, built in the mid-nineteenth century, in the Bayswater Conservation Area. The cherished building has a lot of charm and character, however it was only partially occupied and left in disrepair. It was therefore the perfect time to revive this piece of history.
We achieved Planning and Listed Building Consent in December 2022 for a full retrofit, reconfiguration, and refurbishment, with new terraces. Construction began in February 2023, with the heritage sensitive strip out, and we were heavily involved in the process to manage the crucial work.
Our retrofit strategy includes a holistic upgrade of the thermal performance and air tightness of the building. The balance of conserving the important heritage and improving the environmental performance to bring it up to current standards was a challenge, but with advice from heritage consultants this was overcome. Valuable original heritage aspects are being reinstated, most notably to the 18 front rooms at the ground, first and second floors. This includes reinstating fireplaces, cornicing, and skirting in a style in keeping with the original building, as well as refurbishing the beautiful tall linear windows and the original shutters.
