Rigby & Rigby, along with Helen Green part were appointed to work on the refurbishment of this beautifully presented First Floor apartment overlooking the Ennismore garden square.

The picturesque Ennismore Gardens, a well-known location in Knightsbridge, is surrounded by a range of listed buildings including complete palatial C19th terraced houses. The area is renowned for being one of the most sought after addresses in London. Nos. 16-17 Ennismore Gardens stand as two examples of former ‘superior’ terraced townhouses, albeit altered during the 20th century when they were subdivided and converted into opulent apartments. The considerable scale and grand architectural character of these houses is reflective of the then high status of this residential area. It is also of interest in illustrating the fashionable status of the Italianate style and the prevailing building methods and materials.

Rigby & Rigby’s exceptional track record in the delivery of complex heritage schemes for private Clients and the Studio’s ability to successfully translate a very defined brief to suit an otherwise restrictive piece of architecture led to our instruction on this exciting project. Through careful planning and technical detailing, our combined Studios were able to present a series of considered scheme options which allowed for the cross programming of series of prominent ‘historically important’ spaces (on this principle first floor) to provide beautifully enhanced living accommodation, responding directly to the Client aspiration and highlighting the exceptional level of former grandeur.

In partnership with the very best industry specialists, the submission of the scheme to the local authority and subsequent refurbishment and reinvention of this Grade II asset demonstrated Rigby & Rigby’s continued commitment to delivering truly exceptional homes, offering numerous heritage benefits along with demonstrating our Clients willingness to protect this crucial piece of architectural history.

Embedded within our Studio’s knowledge base is a defined understanding of how we operate within the constraints of Listed Properties. The working principles, typically cross-translatable, can be adapted to suit the more exacting requirements of each instruction. Key here is the Studio’s ability to successfully apply the correct level of intervention. In the instance of Ennismore, where subdivision of ‘grand reception rooms’ was required, this was achieved through shortened partitions, with fully scribed glass panels over – thus allowing the user to stand within their new Master Suite, but still appreciate the full scale and splendour of the original space and associated ‘fly-over’ ceiling details.

Furthermore, new joinery is inserted carefully within each space, sitting beneath critical ceiling details, and scribed where it interacts directly with historic skirting profiles. Whilst modern additions, the final resolution and design characteristic of each [joinery] piece is designed in such a manner to reference its associated room, whether in materiality or more intrinsically via architectural reference to existing space geometry.  In the same vein, modern services are crucial to current living standards and as such, these new joinery additions play a crucial role in the housing of new mechanical and electrical plant. Carefully positioned fan coil units, concealed fully within our cabinetry, has allowed the sympathetic delivery of heating and cooling into our Client’s principal habitable areas via decorative grilles detailed within the joinery design.

Ennismore Gardens is a further reflection of our combined Studio’s ability to deliver exceptional homes for our Clients in a climate where the protection and complexities around adaption of historic assets continues to rise. An intuitive and fully collaborative approach, applied to each instruction, has allowed us to maintain a 98% success rate on Planning and Listed Building Applications.

As a team we are truly excited to be able to present our first CGIs of the space developed for the client, which demonstrates the exceptional transformation of this Grade II Listed property. Enjoy!