Lovat Lane

A 900 m² new-build development constructed on a challenging Conservation Area infill site on a narrow and sloping pedestrian lane in the heart of the City of London, providing 22 serviced apartments over two floors of commercial space.

The upper floors of the 9-storey mixed-use building, which replaced a discordant 6-storey 1970s telecom exchange, recede in a ziggurat format above the maintained historic parapet line of the lane, reducing the visible bulk of the structure; maintaining surrounding Rights to Light; and creating terraces with long-reaching views across the City. Below the parapet, the sensitive design of the elevation is a contextual contemporary response to its historic setting, articulated in brick and render with crisply detailed white-finish metal window reveals.

Early consideration of a construction strategy utilising prefabricated components to overcome site access issues, helped to make the project viable.