Planning Application -Design & Access Statement

PLANNING APPLICATION -DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT

7 3 C R O S S S T R E E T, I S L I N G T O N, N 1

Client: Lesley Malnick B I R D S P O R T C H M O U T H R U S S U M A R C H I T E C T S

5th April 2019

73 Cross Street, Islington -Design & Access Statement

Contents List 3

Site Location 4

The Existing Site 5

Site Context 6

Site Context- Analysis of Cross St South Side 8

Site Context- Analysis of Cross St North Side 10

Analysis of Cross Street Frontage Character 12 North & South Side

Local Architectural Precedents 13

Design Concepts 16

Use, Layout + Size 18

Cross Street Elevation Strategy 19

Appearance -Massing & Materials 20 -Cross Street Elevation -Rear Elevation

Street Views - Cross Street & Upper Street Perspectives 22

Neighbour’s Amenity -Daylight and Overlooking 24

Access Arrangements 25

Birds Portchmouth Russum Architects -Brief History, Relevant 26 Projects, Achievements and Awards

Architect : Birds Portchmouth Russum Architects Unit 11 Union Wharf 23 Wenlock Road London N1 7SB [email protected] 020 7253 8205

3 Site Location

The site; 73 Cross St. lies at the rear of 292 & 293 Upper Street within the Upper Street North Conservation Area and also borders the Cross Street Conservation Area. 292 & 293 Upper Street have long been in the ownership of Leslie Malnick who wishes to create a two bedroom house on the infill site for her son.

Upper Street Conservation Area

73 Cross St.

Cross Street Conservation Area

Islington Conservation Area Map Extract

Aerial View of Site

4 The Existing Site

The existing site is a small access courtyard that lies to the rear of 292 Upper Street which is bounded by a gated wall facing Cross Street and the flank wall of 71 Cross Street. The courtyard is accessed off Cross St. and doors lead into the rear of 292 and 293 Upper St.

The existing boundary wall facing Cross Street adds nothing to the vibrancy of Cross Street and unfortunately the courtyard has often been the repository of rubbish thrown over the wall. To mitigate this the client installed fencing on top of the wall which has reduced but not eliminated rubbish being thrown into the courtyard.

The existing elevation does not make a positive contribution to Cross St. or Upper St.

View to Rear Entrance of 293 Upper St. View from Cross St. to Site. Courtyard View of Access Door to Cross St.

5 61 Cross Street 63 Cross Street 65 Cross Street 67 Cross Street

6 Site Context -Buildings immediately adjacent to site on Cross St.

Cross Street has active street frontages with attractive boutiques & lifestyle shops, cafés and restaurants with residential accommodation above. Cross St meanders and is composed of narrow abutted buildings with varying heights, irregular alignments and different roof profiles.

View From Upper St. to St Marys Church

69 Cross Street 71 Cross Street Site 292 Upper Street

7 NOTES

This drawing is the property of Birds Portchmouth Russum Architects (copyright reserved). This drawing N is not to be copied, reproduced, retained or disclosed to any unauthorised person either wholly or in part without the specific consent in writing of Birds Portchmouth Russum Architects.

N Analysis of Street Frontage Character -Cross St South Side

Cross Street has a meandering street plan and is predominantly composed of a terrace of brick buildings with various heights, occupancies and frontage widths. It is terminated by a larger building which addresses Upper Street. The site is at the rear of 292 Upper St and is bounded by a wall with a gated entrance.

Revision: Note: Date:

Drawing Scale 0 10m 50m

73 Cross ARCHITECTSStreet 04.12.18 Proposed +1 Plan (First Floor) Site Plan FG PL 041 1: 100 @ A3 CS PL 010 1: 500 @ A3

BIRDS PORTCHMOUTH RUSSUM Unit 11, Union Wharf ARCHITECTS 23 Wenlock Road, London N1 7SB t. 020 7253 8205

Bespoke 4 Regular Units Bespoke 5 Regular Units Bespoke

Terrace has a series of repetitive, speculatively developed, buildings which are interrupted and bookended by singular bespoke buildings of differing scale and heights.

Regular & Bespoke Units

Site 292 Upper st

Photo Montage

8 The parapet line is consistent along the repetitive units but steps up and down on the bespoke buildings. In some instances dormer and glazed attic windows peep over the parapet line.

Parapet Line, Hidden & Visible Roofs

Plots of over 5 metres wide enjoy pairs of windows. Site Plots less than 5 metres wide have centralised single windows.

Window Arrangements

6.3 4.1 4.4 5.6 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.9 5.5 5.4 6.3 6.3 6.3 3.1 9.5 Metres

There is a mix of commercial and residential accommodation at street level with residential accommodation above. This all adds to the vibrancy of the street.

Street Level Activity

9 NOTES

N Analysis of Street Frontage Character -Cross St North Side

Cross Street North Side from Florence St to Upper Street is composed of a terrace of brick and painted buildings, 4 storeys high with commercial activity at street level and is terminated by a larger building (a former public house) that addresses Upper Street.

Significantly, the modern building housing the Coexistance Showroom is inserted to mediate between the former pub on Upper St and the adjacent 4 repetitive units. This modern building has a centralised single 2 storey window and at third floor level enjoys an external terrace with a fully glazed setback attic facade.

Revision: Note: Date:

Drawing Scale 0 10m 50m

73 Cross ARCHITECTSStreet 04.12.18 Proposed +1 Plan (First Floor) Site Plan FG PL 041 1: 100 @ A3 CS PL 010 1: 500 @ A3

BIRDS PORTCHMOUTH RUSSUM Unit 11, Union Wharf ARCHITECTS 23 Wenlock Road, London N1 7SB t. 020 7253 8205

Bespoke Bespoke 4 Regular Units Bespoke Modern

The terrace has a series of repetitive speculatively developed buildings which are bookended by singular bespoke buildings.

Regular Units + Irregular Units

Photo Montage

10 The parapet line is consistent along the repetitive units and steps up and down on the bespoke buildings. Dormer and glazed attic windows peep over the parapet line.

The modern building 288 Upper St. /Cross St. adjacent to the former public house enjoys a high level terrace and fully glazed attic façade.

Parapet Line With Setback Mansard Roofs

Central Windows

The repetitive buildings have central windows. The bookend buildings have a variety of windows.

Window Arrangements 5.4 4.6 4.3 4.5 5.4 4.7 Metres 14.5

Each building has commercial occupancy at street level to contribute to the vibrancy of the street.

Street Level Activity

b Local Architectural Precedents

The immediate context of Cross Street and Upper Street enjoys an extremely rich and eclectic mix of Victorian and more contemporary architecture. Many buildings in the area are articulated as bespoke buildings employing sculptural forms, attractive materials and detailing to highlight their singularity.

The London Salvage Corps building at 90 Upper Street is fine masonry building with a homogenous glowing orange / red brickwork and visually suppressed thin brick mortar jointing.

The Upper Street Post Office has elaborate Victorian detailing and large stone arches at street level. Adjacent to this the Kings Head Public House has attractive bowed windows and columns at street level. The Hoxley and Porter Public House has a quite extraordinary timber bay window at street level and the Dead Dolly House enjoys an elegant bowed window at street level with an interesting entablature at higher level.

The contemporary Aria building on 168 Upper Street presents an extraordinary juxtaposition of red concrete Victorian mimic- ry with overlaid modern penetrations.

All these buildings underscore how unique they are and con- firm that this part of Islington is often composed of abutted bespoke buildings. Among their defining features are masonry arches, large scale bay windows, barrel vaulted and domed roof forms Cafe Nero Upper St. 90 Upper St. Kings Head Upper St. Post Office Upper St.

Wild Swan Upper St. Hoxley & Porter Upper St. 168 Upper St. Dead Dolly Upper St.

12 Local Architectural Precedents -Arches

Islington has a number of buildings which employ large scale masonry arches at street level. This feature establishes a scale for the building and highlights its public address, individuality and sense of place.

20 Cross Street 154 Upper Street 311 Upper Street, Islington Studios 290 Upper Street

20 Cross St is a fine building which has 3 large 154 Cross St is a fine building which enjoys arched 311 Upper Street is constructed of Flemish bond 290 Upper St, the former public house, enjoys an arched openings at street level. The larger arched openings at street level. red brickwork with stone dressings. The delightful arched side door onto Cross St immediately oppo- openings have central columns to include both win- composition enjoys two large arched openings with- site the site. dows and an entrance door. in the brickwork at street level.

13 Local Architectural Precedents -Bay Windows

There are a wide variety of Victorian and contemporary bay windows which add greatly to the sculptural composition and individuality of buildings in the immediate area.

311 Upper Street, Islington Studios 273 Upper Street Islington Fire Station, 278 Upper Street 154 Upper Street

311 Upper Street, Islington Studios, features a magnif- 273 Upper Street is a contemporary brick residential 278 Upper Street, Islington Fire Station, 154 Upper Street enjoys a two storey high corner icent cantilevered oriel window, centred and dominant building which enjoys two storey cantilevered bay win- The current fire station was completed in 1993 and fea- cantilevered bay window. upon the façade. It employs a novel cast iron filigree dows with balconies above for the residents. tures 3, 2 and single story cantilevered bay windows. glazing system made by the St. Pancras Iron Work Company.

14 Local Architectural Precedents -Barrel Vaulted Roof

Barrel Vaulted and domed roofs are used to reinforce the Exspression of some fine buildings within the area and elegantly terminates their roof form.

The Business Design Centre, Upper St. employs a The ‘Dome’ building has a domed The Screen on the Green, Upper St. has an arched facade series of barrel vaulted roofs and glazed façade for the roof above a large arched ‘loggia’ terminating the barrel vaulted roof the building. entrance foyer. to present a delightful composition facing Islington Green.

15 294 294 EXISTING

Courtyard 293 3 Entrances to Existing Premises L W I E Courtyard N E W G L 292 S I T E H L T

71 71 73 PROPOSED Existing windows 292 292 Narrower Court- 293 yard Off Cross St Maintains Access

New Lobby 292

1. 292 & 293 Upper St and courtyard are under single 2. Relocating windows creates a narrow site. 73 Cross St. 3. New house entrance lobby added into courtyard. ownership. Existing access to 292 +293 Upper St. maintained.

16 Design Concepts - Creating a home on the narrow infill site

Roofs slope to bring sun • Bedrooms light into living area Site Cross St. receive morning sun • located in quiet area

2.4 M Existing width Stairs and corridor at pinch point

Bathroom faces north

Proposed Road Noise

4. Building opposite comfirms a 4 storey house with third floor 5. Clever distribution of accommodation on very constricted 6 Living area elevated to create large open plan space. The balcony and setback attic is reasonable proposal. site. roof slopes to enjoy more sun and daylight and create drama to the living area.

17 Use, Layout and Size

Third Floor Total Gross External The proposed building is to be a new home for the son of the site owner.

30.6 m2 Area = 111sq. m At ground floor level, set within the existing courtyard is an entrance lobby accessed directly off Cross St. A stair ascends to first floor level which contains a bedroom, utility room and bathroom. The stair continues to second floor level which contains Living Area another bedroom, a shower room and study/ home office. The third floor contains the kitchen , dining and living area which has a small external balcony overlooks Cross Street.

Size

The site is a tapered L shape 9.2 meters long and at Cross Street is 3.35 meters wide. Across the southern edge of the site is 4.3 metres wide. At its narrowest the site is 2.4 meters wide.

Second Floor The overall size is 111 sq Metres consisting of; 2 32.6 m Ground Floor Entrance 15 sq.m First floor level 32.4 sq. m Study Second floor level 32.6 sq. m Third floor level 30.6 sq. m

9.2 m First Floor

32.4 m2

3.35 m 4.3 m

Ground Floor 5.58 m GEA= 15 m 2

Entrance

3.35 m

Line of Building Above 18 Cross St. Elevation Strategy

The careful analysis of the Cross Street and Upper Street context has strongly in- formed the design of the proposed Cross St Elevation. The design mediates between the scale of Cross Street and Upper Street and features finely developed form and detailing reflecting the attractive bespoke qualities of neighbouring buildings.

• The parapet steps sympathetically from Cross St to Upper St • The roof silhouette mediates from 71 Cross St to 292 Upper St. • The building enjoys a 2 door arched entrance off Cross St. • It has a centralised oriel bay window • It has a small balcony and set back attic level • The composition is completed by a barrel vaulted roof.

Parapet sympathetically steps up from Cross Street to Silhouette mediates between hight of 71 Cross Street and The form mediates between the scale of Cross St. and Upper Street. 292 Upper Street. Upper St. The attic level is setback from the street frontage alike the building immediately opposite.

19 Appearance - Massing & Materials Cross Street Elevation

The proposed building is squeezed into a uniquely thin and tapered site. It takes its height and number of storeys, 4, by closely observing the neighbouring context. This height mediates between the adjacent building and closely Zinc Roof C BPR reflects the strategic layout of the contemporary infill building immediately opposite on Cross St.

Alike the building opposite it presents a three storey building on its street frontage with a third floor level balcony and setback glazed attic level.

The Cross St façade is of a waisted profile and constructed of narrow red brick reflecting the colour of the voussoir brick lintels on the adjacent buildings. The arched opening at street level will have a quarry tiled lintel and the entrance doors to both the courtyard and entrance lobby will be of fretted Orange Red Brick brass to provide security while facilitating natural lighting and ventilation to the interior. The street elevation is completed by a barrel vaulted attic level and glazed end panel to create a quality of lightness in juxtaposition to the masonry below.

Copper Drain Pipe C BPR

New Sash Windows to Match Existing

Barrel Vaulted Zinc Roof

Render C BPR Glazed Facade

Render

Fretted Metal Bay Window

Fretted Screen C BPR Orange Red Brick

Fretted Metal Doors

Stone Footing

Stone Footings C BPR 20 Appearance - Massing & Materials Rear Elevation

Much of the building is enclosed by neighbouring buildings and is therefore not highly visible

The design of the south east corner of the proposed building is determined by considerations towards the immediate neighbours. Opposite, at first floor Zinc Roof C BPR level, is a relatively new bedroom extension to 294 Upper St.

To ensure that there is no overlooking issue external angled vertical aluminium louvres are introduced to the first and second floor bedroom to create mutual privacy nd also allow morning sunshine into the bedrooms.

The new light well at the rear of 293 Upper St. will be constructed of glazed white tiles to maximise the daylighting to the bathroom & staircase windows. This building is owned by the owner and applicant.

Render C BPR

Zinc Roof

Aluminium Louvres C BPR

Aluminium Louvres

Render

21 Perspective View from Cross St. to Upper St.

22 Perspective View from Upper St. to Cross St.

23 Neighbours Amenity – Daylight and Overlooking

294

Section

Angled louvres prevent overlooking the neighbour 294

Daylighting -The neighbour’s bedroom has three windows facing the new building Overlooking - Direct view blocked by louvres. to the north. At 294 Upper St. the presence of 3 windows however ensures ade- quate daylight is maintained to the bedroom.

24 Access Arrangements

Cross St. is very well provided for public transport with the London Under- ground available nearby at Angel, Islington and Highbury and Islington Sta- tions which also provides overland rail services. Bus routes 43 , 30, 9 and 4 are readily available on Upper St. and 38, 73, 341 and 476 on the Essex Road a few minutes walk away.

The proposed 2 bed house is located on such a constrictive site that lift ac-

cess to each level is not realistically feasible. Upper st. Upper

73 Cross Street

Essex Road

BUSES; 38 73 341 476

BUSES; 4 9 30 43

25 Birds Portchmouth Russum Architects - Brief History & Relevant Projects

Birds Portchmouth Russum Architects are highly regarded by their peers having won many design awards for their buildings in sensitive locations; most recently in 2017 for 6, Wood Lane in Highgate, London, which received a RIBA Award, a Civic Trust Commendation and was shortlisted for House of the Year.

The partners commenced their practice in 1989 upon winning the open Architectural Competition for the Avenue de Chartres Car Park in Chich- ester, which duly won 6 design awards including a RIBA Award and Civic Trust Award.

BPR have considerable experience in designing bespoke buildings in the most complex and sensitive rural and urban locations. Downley House, set within the South Downs National Park, was won in an invited architectural competition and duly won 5 Design awards including a RIBA Award and Civic Trust Commendation.

Currently BPR have two projects in extremely sensitive urban locations adjacent to listed buildings in Conservation Areas which are under construction and shortly to be completed.

69 Highgate High St, is a small mixed use development, located opposite Highgate School adjacent to a listed building within the Highgate Con- servation Area. Cannon Brewery apartments is a new rooftop two storey residential pavilion constructed at the rear of a Grade 2 Listed Building within the Clerkenwell Conservation Area. Downley House, completed in 2013, set in the South Downs National Park – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. RIBA Award, Civic Trust Commendation, Daily Telegraph Most Innovative Home Award.

Avenue de Chartres Car Park, Chichester – completed in 1991 and set in sensitive historic location opposite the Medieval City Wall and Chichester Cathedral. RIBA Award, Civic Trust Award, Downlands Design Award, English Tourist Board Award, AJ Exterior lighting Award.

26 Birds Portchmouth Russum Architects - Achievements Awards

Birds Portchmouth Russum have won over 18 Design awards and Commenda- tions for their buildings including;

-- Avenue de Chartres Car Park, RIBA and Civic Trust Awards -- Plashet School Footbridge, RIBA and Civic Trust Commendation -- Downley House, RIBA and Civic Trust Commendation

In 2013, Downley House, set within the South Downs National Park, won the Daily Telegraph ‘Most Innovative Home Award ‘ and Evening Standard ‘Luxury House Award’.

In 2013 BPR won the Jersey Architecture Commission ‘Best Unbuilt Architec- ture Award’ for Highlands Housing.

in 2017 the private house, 6 Wood Lane in Highgate, London which received a RIBA Award, a Civic Trust Commendation and was shortlisted for House of the Year.

Architectural Competition Successes:

6, Wood Lane, Highgate – Set in Highgate Conservation Area and completed in 2016. 1989 Avenue de Chartres Car Park, Chichester – Open Competition, First Place RIBA Award, Civic Trust Commendation and shortlisted for House of the Year in 2017. 1997 Imperial War museum for the North, - Invited Competition, Second Place Royal Academy Summer Exhibition - Winner of the Architecture Prize 2011 1998 Humberstone Gate, Leicester - Invited Competition, First Place 2002 Neighbourhood Nursery Competition - Invited Competition, First Place 2006 Blue Boar Creek Bridges- Invited Competition, First Place 2007 Southwark Park Primary School - Invited Competition, First Place 2010 Downley House - Invited Competition, First Place 2012 Hampton Court Magic Garden, - Invited Competition, Second Place 2013 Great Fens Visitor Centre - Open Competition, Second Place 2014 Coram’s Fields Master Plan Competition - First Place 2015 BBC Wood Lane Housing Competition – Invited Competition, Second Place

Exhibitions

BPR have had over 25 projects selected for the Royal Academy Summer Ex- hibition and have the unique achievement of winning the Architecture Prize for 3 separate projects; Bellmouth Bridges in Docklands, 6 Wood Lane House in Highgate , London and Highlands Housing in Jersey. 69 Highgate High St, was exhibited in the 2013 Summer Exhibition and commended for the Architecture Prize. BPR’s work has been exhibited throughout the world and in 2000 the Basle Architecture Museum in Switzerland held a retrospective of the Practice’s work.

Design Review and Educational Roles

Richard Portchmouth has served on many Design Review Panels including; CABE for five years, & Design South East for 12 years. Richard is currently Dep- uty Chair of DSE and Co Chair of the Islington Design Review Panel. 69 Highgate High Street - Set in Highgate Conservation Area, currently under construction and due for com- pletion in May 2019. Michael Russum is a visiting Professor of Architecture at Nottingham University Royal Academy Summer Show Commendation 2013. and has served as an external examiner at the Westminster University and Kent school of Architecture. 27