Historic Buildings
Portfolio
As architects, landscape architects and urban designers, we create award winning buildings, living landscapes and thriving urban spaces, using inventive design to solve real life challenges. Each of our projects is different but the driving force behind every one is the desire to create something that is inherently beautiful, sustainable and useful.
Historic Building Conversation and Refurbishment
Many of our projects involve the sensitive conservation and refurbishment of listed buildings, where we combine deep respect for architectural heritage and the practical demands of modern use. Our team has extensive experience working within historic contexts, striking the necessary balance between conservation and innovation.
We have successfully worked on buildings from every era - from Georgian to 20th-century landmarksand even within the setting of scheduled monuments.
Our process begins with a thorough research of the building’s history and its site. From this understanding, we agree priorities for adaptation and conversation with our client and stakeholders. These principles are carried through with attention to detail, supported by knowledge of traditional building techniques.
Accredited Conservation Architects
Our accredited conservation architects lead projects from first principles, preparing detailed conservation plans and specifying authentic repairs with technical precision.
When appropriate, we embrace the opportunity to combine old and new, introducing high-quality contemporary design or advanced technology. Every intervention is carefully considered, ensuring it safeguards heritage significance while meeting project requirements for years to come.
“St Luke’s now has a near perfect acoustic for chamber music: warm and supportive, yet also beautifully clear.”
Richard Morrison, The Times
LSO St Luke’s Future Ready
Islington, London
London Symphony Orchestra
Originally rescued from ruin in 2003 through our collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra, this Grade I listed Hawksmoor church was transformed into a much-loved home for the orchestra’s rehearsal and education programmes.
In 2025, we revisited the building to deliver a comprehensive upgrade. The historic fabric has been meticulously repaired, accessibility improved, and cutting-edge technical systems installed. Within its historically significant interior, Jerwood Hall - renowned for its acoustics - now incorporates acoustic reflectors and PET felt window coverings, safeguarding heritage significance while enhancing sound quality for orchestral rehearsals.
Sustainability has been a key focus, achieved through ultra-low energy lighting, advanced control systems, optimisation of the existing ground source heat pump, and a comprehensive decarbonisation strategy.
“Reopening LSO St Luke’s marks a new chapter for the orchestra, enabling us to continue our pioneering work with young musicians and composers of all ages, and our local communities as well as serving the latest requirements for digital technologies essential for modern recordings and live performances.”
Dame Kathryn McDowell, LSO Managing Director
“Bristol’s new Beacon is a triumph. It’s a superb venue - up there with the best.”
The Times
Bristol Beacon
Bristol
Bristol City Council and Bristol Music Trust
This second and final phase of the project promotes Bristol Beacon as an exemplar of international quality within the music industry. The original fabric of the Grade II listed building has been repaired, restored, and upgraded, conserving the Byzantine Victorian Architecture whilst adapting it for modern audiences and operations. The project’s progmmatic needs were extensive, including the renewal of existing music performance halls and backstage areas; the remodelling of secondary spaces, such as the underused cellars, to introduce new music eductaion studios and club-style third venue; and the insertion of new AV, stage engineering, and upgraded building services.
Devonshire Park
Theatres
Eastbourne
Eastbourne Borough Council
Dating from 1873, Devonshire Park has long been an attraction for the south coast. However, the facilities were in need of significant revitalisation and so we were appointed to carefully restore the listed theatres; enhance the tennis facilities and provide a new conference building. Throughout, our goal was to preserve the heritage of the three Grade II to Grade II* theatres whilst creating modern facilities. The key design driver was to transform the audience experience by improving comfort, accessibility and production quality.
“This is an extremely exciting project that will bring more people to Eastbourne, provide even better facilities for residents and support the sustainability of the park for future generations.”
Councillor David Tutt, Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council
Brunswick Centre
Camden, London
Allied London
This pioneering Grade II listed medium-rise, highdensity, inner-city neighbourhood, designed by Patrick Hodgkinson in the 1960s, was severely run-down when we were invited to restore, repair and improve it. Our approach was to complete the original architectural vision whilst making contemporary interventions. The central shopping street has been upgraded with a new anchor supermarket, enlarged retail units and extended shop fronts to provide more attractive spaces for retailers. The width of the vast concourse has been reduced by adding glass walkways, canopies and central seating, creating a more active and intimate streetscape.
“The revival of the Brunswick Centre has transformed a major blight into a thriving and lively area.”
Regeneration & Renewal Awards judge
The Atkinson
Southport
Sefton Council
This project joins three Grade II listed Victorian buildings on Southport’s handsome main street to form an integrated cultural centre, which includes performing arts, an art gallery, museum and library. The fine 19th Century gallery spaces have been upgraded to GIS standards to house touring exhibitions, and the centre’s two auditoria will now accommodate festival style events. The library has been expanded to include a café, music listening zones and new local studies suite that complements the museum and visual performing arts attractions. Externally, the stonework has been cleaned and repaired. and entrances have been made accessible.
“This project has transformed a private university building into one that can be enjoyed by all, whether school children involved in activities planned by Educational Opportunities, or people visiting the museum’s collections, the café, shop, lecture theatre or the magnificent building itself.”
Rachel James, Consultant
Victoria Gallery and Museum
Liverpool University of Liverpool
The refurbishment of this Grade II listed underused university building has created valuable space for the Educational Opportunities Department and a number of historical collections. Our starting point was to make the most of Waterhouse’s stunning interiors, which through careful restoration are now visible to the wider public for the first time. A series of sensitive interventions have also ensured the building is more accessible. Externally, the impressive clock tower was fully restored to re-establish the Victoria Building as a Liverpool landmark once more.
“This project brings enormous benefits for all members of the department. Among these are new specialist teaching labs, social hub spaces for the students that are in close proximity to their Professors, and vastly improved and entirely new research laboratories.”
Professor Lars Stixrude, Head of Department, UCL Earth Sciences
Kathleen Lonsdale Building, UCL
Camden, London
University College of London
This substantial Grade II listed, five storey building has been completely refurbished to create high quality, academic space for various departments within the Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences and to co-locate the entire Earth Science department for the first time in UCL’s history. Specialist laboratories, teaching rooms, research facilities and offices have been provided, supported by areas for socialising and group working, whilst issues of accessibility and wayfinding have also been addressed. Importantly, period features have been restored where possible, including the original staircase and glazed brick columns.
This competition-winning commission transformed this Grade II listed building into a 750-seat concert hall and multi-purpose public building. The scheme enables the performance space to convert rapidly from a fully seated to flat floor layout, and the acoustics can be varied to suit different requirements. A new ‘over-roof’ structure, supported by external columns, provides space for services and additional acoustic volume and retractable absorption panels. The design also allows for the future addition of a 200-seat and 500-seat auditoria for dance and drama.
Corn Exchange
King’s Lynn
Leisure & Tourism Department, Borough of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk
Alexandra Road
Camden
London Borough of Camden, South Hampstead Housing Cooperative
Neave Brown first designed the Alexandra Road Estate in Swiss Cottage whilst working within LB Camden’s architecture department. When complete in 1979, the reinforced concrete structure contained 520 apartments, houses and maisonettes in three parallel buildings, alongside a park and extensive communal facilities.
Now Grade II* listed, we were commissioned to resolve detail design issues and restore elements, which led the completion of a ‘warm and dry’ programme of works. Working with Neave Brown, we have sensitively repaired key details, securing the estate’s long term future. We have subsequently been appointed to undertake further internal enhancements, improve thermal efficiency and upgrade heating to homes, within the parameters of a listed building.
Built in 1819 and Grade I listed, this is the sole remaining working theatre from the Regency period in the UK. The project restores the auditorium, introducing original features and a decorative scheme based on extensive, detailed research. Improvements, including comfort cooling, are incorporated in a manner consistent with its role as a public service theatre, hosting a variety of medium sized productions. Finally, a new foyer extension on an adjoining garden gently touches the existing building – its shallow curved roof responding to the geometry of the theatre’s plan.
“An imposing yet intimate auditorium restored to full Regency splendour and public areas bought up to 21st Century standards.”
Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard
Theatre Royal
Bury St. Edmunds
Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds
Harvey Court
Cambridge
Gonville
and Caius College
We were commissioned to refurbish this seminal Grade II* listed collegiate building, ensuring all the new interventions respected its architectural heritage. Our design hinges around rethinking movement and linking the ground and first floor internally for the first time. The insertion of a new lift allowed us to reorientate the building, creating a new main entrance sensitively designed to reproduce the original detailing. New bathrooms have been ingeniously incorporated through utilising unused storage spaces, whilst communal facilities have been refurbished throughout. Finally, better insulation and solar panels lower the carbon footprint of the building.
“Levitt Bernstein had to be bold when updating the fabric and function of the building, but sensitive to the underlying spatial and material principles that make it such a remarkable example of 20th Century architecture.”
Owen Pritchard, Blueprint Magazine
Under these proposals, the Grade II* listed London Road Fire Station will be transformed into a landmark mixed use development for the city. Built in 1906, it stands as one of the Manchester’s finest historic buildings, but has been left in a state of disrepair. Our refurbishment will restore it back to its former glory to provide a hotel, bars, restaurants, community uses and a museum. Within the excavated courtyard a new bar will provide a dramatic red pavilion at the heart of the old fire station’s transformation.
“One
of the most loving restoration proposals of a listed building in the city’s history.”
Town planner, Manchester City Council
London Road
Fire Station
Manchester
Allied London
Stonyhurst College Masterplan
Lancashire
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College’s historic estate features a mixture of Grade I, II* and II listed and landscape features, with the school itself dating back to 1593. Working closely various stakeholders, including staff, pupils and Historic England, we have completed comprehensive strategic masterplan for the site.
Our focus was to develop a cohesive vision for the buildings and the grounds and drawing inspiration from the school’s rich heritage and traditions, whilst identifying exciting opportunities for future development to meet evolving educational needs currently working with the College deliver the first stages of the masterplan.
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