Watsons' Street
An artist's chapel
This project involved the transformation of a neglected Victorian chapel in South London. A historically significant but severely deteriorated building that had fallen into disrepair after years of piecemeal alterations. Dark, cold and underused, the property had lost much of its original character and was no longer fit for purpose.
We developed a strategy to restore and repurpose the building as a contemporary home, artists studio and gallery space. The brief was to preserve the scale and character of the original chapel while improving light, comfort and functionality, creating a flexible environment that could support both living and creative practice.
We led the project from feasibility through to concept development and delivery, stripping the building back to reveal its original structure and uncovering key architectural features that had been concealed over time. A new cantilevered mezzanine was introduced as the central organising element, creating a studio overlooking the main volume and connecting to a new roof terrace. Throughout, we combined careful restoration with contemporary interventions, using a restrained material palette of oak, birch plywood, concrete and stone to bring warmth, light and clarity to the space.
The project transformed a derelict and underperforming building into a highly distinctive live-work space that balances heritage, art space and modern living. The project gave new life and purpose to a historic structure while creating a home and studio designed to adapt over time.
Industry
Location
Year
Deliverables
Photography
Press
Cultural and residential
London, United Kingdom
2018
Feasibility, Concept, Construction, Contract Administration
Nikjoo
