Wellington House

A drab 1980s office building on a landmark town site was given a
breath of new life, resulting in 13 well appointed, smart apartments;
proving that re-purposed buildings are not only sustainable but can
be aspirational too.

It is said that the most sustainable buildings are existing ones. And
Wellington house, with its attention to detail, the retention of much of
its original fabric, and its design to meet or exceed energy efficiency
requirements for a newly constructed building, champions this idea.

To save as much fabric as possible, the external walls were
upgraded and the original stair core was also retained, but the small
adjacent lightwell was increased considerably, to allow natural light
and ventilation into the rooms located deep in the floorplates. All
apartments exhibit exceptionally skilful space planning that was
made particularly challenging by the existing structure and the
complex, highly-efficient retrofitted services. But every apartment is
light and airy, with comfortable spaces in which their inhabitants can
make a home. The mantra is, and must always be: ‘design homes
that you would want to live in’.

A combination of crisp detailing and playful additions are bright,
cheerful additions to the streetscape. The windows are adorned with
gold-coloured balustrades, made with state-of-the-art waterjet
technology, and were specifically designed for Wellington House.
The inspiration for these is Aspley House, the Duke of Wellington’s
London home (a combination of the scallop-shaped railings and
classical arches under its colonnade).