The brief
A private family dwelling of Georgian architecture originally completed in 1798 and based in a highly exclusive area of West London. This property was undergoing an extensive renovation, with an additional storey extension and the creation of a new basement. Group GA were employed to undertake all the mechanical, electrical, fire and security installation and the on-going maintenance.
The project
The front of the building is Grade I listed, with a connecting muse at the rear which was being demolished and rebuilt, along with the new basement. There were a number of challenges that had to be resolved to guarantee a successful outcome, which started with rethinking all of the initial designs to ensure the building performed to the clients brief.
Working within the restraints of a listed building meant that there were many character features that needed to be preserved including floorboards, ceiling coves, lighting roses and original plasterwork. The coordination required to bring in and install all the services and equipment, whilst protecting and allowing for these features, was a notable achievement and involved some bespoke ingenuity.
This is a traditional building with all the services you would expect to find in a modern, state-of-the-art home, including an intelligent audio-visual system and building controls. The new construction at the back is a contemporary steel frame, adding to the challenge of ensuring that all the services were integrated into the traditional finish required by the client and in-keeping with the property.
The result
The significant challenges Group GA faced with this project encouraged a different approach and resulted in a very professional finish: ensuring the services fitted perfectly and presented meticulously, with a seamless integration to blend the classic and modern. The feedback has been incredibly positive. At the time of writing, this is now at the commissioning phase with the client ready to move in soon.
