Windmill Street, London

The brief from the client, Edward Withers Ltd was to convert a locally listed terraced building in a sensitive conservation area to a musical instrument shop, workshop and luxury flat for the client.

The existing building consisted of a narrow terraced house with lower ground and ground floor plus two upper floors. While being locally listed, the building was not in a Conservation Area. After complex negotiations with the London Borough of Camden Planning Department and vociferous local objectors, EUA convinced the planning Department of the merits of the design.

EUA won planning permission for the complete demolition of the original building and the erection of a new building with the accommodation outlined above.

PWA received a very particular brief from the client completely within their sphere of interest with respect to architectural poetics and tight urban infill. The shop front and ground floor shop space itself was realised as a complex 'jewellery box'. A high quality hardwood shop-front opened on to a small intense entrance space with barrel vaulted ceiling, niches, disguised flush fronted cupboards and purpose made display joinery, with glimpses of spaces beyond and below via etched glass panels.