131 Gloucester Terrace

131 Gloucester Terrace is situated within a long row of Victorian mid-19th Century terraced houses in Paddington, West London. Our proposals for this sensitive refurbishment will bring a currently unoccupied building into beneficial use, providing affordable housing for rent in addition to larger family-sized units, in-line with local planning policy.

Historically, the building has been used for both office and residential accommodation and split into separate flats in the 1990s. Refurbishment of the Grade II listed building involves strategic spatial re-ordering coupled with the protection and restoration of historic features. The proposals also provide modern servicing infrastructure, greatly improving the long-term sustainability and viability of an important heritage asset.

At present, the modern additions significantly diminish the importance of the building and obscure the clarity of its floor plan. The new proposed layouts include the utilisation of the modern rear extension to provide service spaces (i.e WCs and bathrooms), removing these from the historic core and principal rooms. This facilitates the restoration of the proportions of the principal rooms, whilst also incorporating connections and facilities necessary for the flats to function.

The building’s original finishes and colour schemes have long since been lost. Some of the surviving original details in the form of plasterwork and joinery will be restored where appropriate and enhanced. The retained existing fabric will be finished in muted tones and new elements will be finished in coloured joinery reflecting 1840’s colour palettes, distinguishing them from the historic structure and details.

Externally, the front and rear of the building will be cleaned, repaired and redecorated, and the poorly insulated modern windows will be replaced with timber windows which are more sympathetic to the heritage setting.