Canfield Place, Camden
Redevelopment of former garage block creating an extraordinary development of 8 contemporary mews-houses
The permission allows the demolition of 16 existing garage lock ups at the site to provide 8 residential (C3) dwellings, which were welcomed in land use terms.
The proposed scheme, designed by CZWG, was considered to represent good quality design, and would provide a contemporary response to the character, fabric and proportions of the neighbouring terrace of mews properties facing the site. The proposal would make a significant improvement to the streetscape along this side of Canfield Place.
The massing of the proposed building has a sculpted, irregular form. In section, the south side of the building presents a flat two or three storey section of flat roof providing the terrace before the roof is angled to fall away towards Canfield Place, which reflects the two-plus-attic-storey scale of the existing mews properties. The change in height from three to two storeys in the middle and at the end of the terrace corresponds with the position of ground floor windows to habitable rooms on the north side of Canfield Place. The massing brings coherence to these changes in height by creating a sculpted, faceted form that follows a rising and falling sawtooth roof line with both roof and walls wrapped in the same lightweight patinated bronze cladding .
The bronze cladding and sculpted form gives the building a distinctive identity and strong industrial character but with a tonal quality that would complement the brick and timber palette of the existing buildings on Canfield Place. Whilst the patinated bronze panels are the primary cladding material, the ground floor level section of the Canfield Place facade would be composed of oak panelled garage doors with fanlights and granite planters and cladding. This contrast in facing materials introduces a more domestic character that is typically associated with mews type properties, and allows a greater sense of habitation along the terrace by encouraging planting and a more sociable use of the doorstep spaces of the proposed houses. Toughened glass balustrades
are proposed to be installed on some of the roof terrace areas.