Chiswick House Cafe

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  • Client:
  • English Heritage
  • Consultant:
  • Caruso St John
  • Value:
  • £1,900,000
  • Duration:
  • 50 Weeks
  • Form of Contract:
  • GC/Works/1 (1998) with Quants
  • Procurement Method:
  • Single Stage Competitive Tender
Chiswick House Externalchiswick internalchiswick house

Overview

The works involved the construction of a spacious new build café and associated landscaping within the grounds of Grade 1 listed Chiswick House. The Contemporary café space looks out on the magnificent gardens and neo-Palladian villa, surely one of the best settings in the capital, with the Gardens widely considered to be the birthplace of the English Landscape Movement.  It was essential therefore that our works were of the highest quality.

The project consisted of the erection of a single storey concrete framed structure with a flat roof which extends over a loggia to two elevations. The elevation consists of masonry piers and rendered walling between which glazed screens span on the loggia elevations. External works consisted of tree/felling, shrub removal, forming of new roadways and paths, hard paving, a marquis area and fencing.

The new modern spacious cafe is made of Portland stone and White concrete to echo the light colour of the House and garden buildings.  Glass panels allow idyllic views of the surrounding landscape from within.

This project was sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Sustainability Initiatives

The concrete roof slab soffit and shear walls have been exposed to increase the thermal mass of the building.  Inside, the main seating area is glazed with full height windows to increase the natural daylight entering the building. The internal and external slabs are thermally broken to minimise heat loss.

Awards

We consider this project to be a lasting testiment to the quality and attention to detail we can deliver.  This has been further inforced by the awards achieved:

  • 2011 RIBA London Building of the Year Award Winner

  • 2011 RIBA English Heritage Award for Sustaining the Historic Environment Winner

  • 2011 Civic Trust Award Winner