earlearchitects
Client: Thames Reach Location: Waterloo, London Project Value: ÂŁ714,000 Date: Completed 2012
This grade II Listed homeless hostel building has been reconfigured at ground and lower ground floor level and extensively refurbished to provide a new reception, staff office spaces, medic room, kitchen, dining room and group therapy room. The underlying principle of the design was to open up existing small cellular rooms into open, inviting, naturally lit and naturally ventilated spaces to improve the wellbeing of the 19 service users and staff. The key space in the building is a new dining and kitchen area that make use of a 1990s extension. This poorly conceived addition blocked natural light to part of the original building and was poorly connected to its host - and as a result was underused. Our designs enlarged a window opening in the original house to create a more meaningful connection between new and old - transforming two poor quality rooms into one large space which is bathed in natural daylight and links to the garden area. It is envisaged that herbs and vegetables will be grown in new planter beds and used in the preparation of food in the new kitchen, which is one a part of a programme of personal development the hostel service users can benefit from. As well as the extensive works at ground and lower ground floor level, a refurbishment of the bedrooms and bathrooms on floors 1 to 3 was also undertaken as well as a total renewal of the building’s heating and domestic hot and cold water systems. Earle Architects also designed bespoke joinery pieces including the staff desks, computer work stations, storage solutions, kitchen units and radiator covers to provide a common language through the various spaces.
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