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HOME FOR AN ARTIST
New dwelling and studio, St Leonards-on-Sea
West St Studio with Giulia Filippone
2021 -​ 2024

Conversion and extension of a vehicle workshop in St Leonards-on-Sea to create a live-work dwelling with a large studio for an artist. 

The building is part of the Warrior Square Conservation Area which is characterised by the grand Mid-Victorian terraces which border the square itself, however the site sits to the west of this on what would have likely been a complete mews, but is now a mixture of backland parking, modern infill housing, and some light industrial uses. There is very little architectural continuity - no discernible consistency in floor heights, ridge heights, building lines, material palette or architectural style - and a lack of active frontage, poor quality residential amenity space and public realm. It would have originally been two storeys and at least part-domestic, evidenced by the prominent chimney breasts that begin at first floor level and sash windows facing the rear, suggesting the space was used as living quarters, whilst it is likely the ground floor would have had a non-domestic use. Historic maps indicate that the footprint has remained largely unchanged, however the front section of the building has been reconfigured and possibly extended, whilst to facilitate its use as an industrial building, the first floor has been removed to create a single 7m tall volume. The condition of the building fabric is poor with plastic sheeting stretched across the underside of the roof to keep the water out.

The proposed refurbishment is intended principally to provide a studio and exhibition space, primarily for three dimensional work in glass. The basic spatial requirements include well ventilated, protected, storage for propane cylinders, both wet and dry working areas, a kiln, storage for moulds and casts, and a large work table, but also, importantly, flexible street frontage which can be opened up for public events such as exhibitions and open studios, high levels of natural light, and mechanical extraction. The dwelling is separate from but also intrinsically linked to the studio, with a shared kitchen which whilst technically part of the home, would be independent from the rest of the living areas and could be used as additional exhibition space. A further part of the ground floor is required for shared storage and amenity including refuse, cycle and material storage and supplementary workspace for larger projects.

The first floor of the building will be reinstated to provide the bulk of the residential floor area, laid out in an open plan configuration in order to maximise natural light with furniture and flexible partitions providing visual separation where required. The interior is organised using a series of split levels and mezzanines around a full height void in order to bring daylight down into the back of the deep plan whilst respecting issues of overlooking at the rear.

To preserve the appearance of the building as an industrial unit, the large sliding garage doors will be retained. However, without significant alteration - they are single glazed with large gaps top and bottom - there are thermally and acoustically inefficient, therefore the decision has been made to set back the thermal envelope and create an unheated, full-height entrance - part-winter garden, part-workshop, part-gallery - which can be opened up to the street and facilitate deliveries and collections. The studio and kitchen share the remainder of the ground floor footprint. Both spaces will be raised on a suspended timber floor to allow services to run below and have fully glazed frontages bring in light. The kitchen is located along the northern party wall and is full height, allowing daylight to wash down the walls from the roof level glazing above. Ceiling heights are stepped so that the studio is more generous at around 3m and gains additional natural light from the existing high level windows at the rear, whilst service spaces are lower enabling more accommodation above. The two uses are separated by a service zone housing a ventilated propane store and mechanical extract ducts, wet and dry workspace, overhead storage and toilet for the studio, and utility cupboard, staircase and larder for the kitchen. A large utility room is located in the back corner allowing the kitchen to be easily cleared for occasional exhibitions.

An open stair leads to the bathroom on a half landing, and up to a mezzanine level with access to an external terrace set into the roof at the front of the building. The main living spaces are located over the studio, 600mm lower than the terrace which allows for maximum daylight penetration whilst minimising overlooking into the dwelling; despite a heavily glazed frontage, the living spaces will be completely private. At the back of the space a second, higher mezzanine provides a study or separate sleeping area.

The complex spatial configuration will be made possible by inserting a new steel frame within the building which will preserve and support the existing fabric whilst minimising alterations to the external walls. The new frame will be fully insulated internally creating a highly efficient thermal and acoustic envelope within the existing structure.

​A modest increase in roof height will be required to provide the necessary additional structure, but this will respect the existing stepping of the unit and its neighbours either side which follow the gentle slope of the street. Large areas of glazing have been added to both the front and back of the roof, acting as a lantern over the internal void. A new strip of glazing will run across the front of the roof behind the parapet illuminating the entrance / workspace below.
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