This is one of a series of ten similar projects throughout London where we have used forensic analysis of the building over time to inform their best and most sympathetic onward use.

This row of red-brick Knightsbridge townhouses built in 1885, is typical of Victorian developments right across London. Each home stacks generous family accommodation between a basement kitchen and attic servants’ quarters, a clarity of arrangement now obscured by decades of subdivisions and additions. This project presented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to renovate all six storeys of a single 6,000 sqft townhouse, converting it into a series of smaller apartments.

Our forensic exploration of the history of the building uncovered its hidden strengths. By stripping away the old partitions and rationalising the circulation we were able to make better use of the available space, which combined with a sensitive extension at the back of the building, increased the net internal floor area by around 1,500 sqft.