Julian Harrap Architects LLP has won the RICS Building Conservation award at the annual RICS awards ceremony held at The Royal Lancaster, London on Wednesday evening. Over 50 of London’s most impressive and community beneficial property schemes battled it out for top honours at the RICS Awards 2018. The event celebrates inspirational initiatives in the city’s land, property and construction sectors across eight category awards.
Julian Harrap Architects beat off stiff competition including Rainham Hall, another of the London practice’s conservation projects that was shortlisted, with its meticulous restoration of No. 14 Fournier Street, Spitalfields
. The building is a grade II listed townhouse built in 1726 by joiner and woodworker, William Taylor and is considered to be one of the finest Georgian houses in this part of east London.
The project involved the repair and refurbishment of the historic fabric and a sympathetic modernisation. The architectural aim was to bring the five-storey house to present day standards, address the very serious structural issues and create a comfortable home, whilst retaining evidence of history, patina of age, and the effects of structural movement over three centuries.
The judges said: “This project evolved from conserving and restoring visible defects to deep microscopic surgery, carefully conserving and bringing the whole historic house to life, creating a delightful home with character and charm. Outstanding attention to detail, structural steelwork inserted replicating and conserving the floors and ceilings settlement formed over the centuries….”
