Project CH - Case Study

Christchurch Hill (CH)

LOCATION
Hampstead, London

PROJECT TYPE
Residential Redevelopment

DURATION
14 months

SIZE
250 sqm / 2700 sq ft over five levels

CONTRACT TYPE
Design & Build

PROJECT TEAM
Architect – Extension Architecture

Interior Designer – PELHAM & Co.

Structural Engineer – Evolve Structures Ltd

Temporary works Engineer – Adrian Bucatica

This mid-terraced Victorian home in Hampstead Village underwent a complete redevelopment across five levels. Initially built in the 1870s, the property was transformed into a turnkey contemporary family home, with only the original façade retained.

All internal floors, the roof, rear elevation, and chimney breasts were removed and rebuilt. The project’s complexity centred around the design and execution of a bespoke temporary works system to support the retained façade and adjoining party walls.

Delivered in a conservation area and on a tight urban site, the build required precision, technical skill and close collaboration across all disciplines.

A multi-story brick building with two front doors, one painted red and the other black, each accessed by a set of stairs. The building has various windows, some with white trim and some with black trim, and features a rooftop with additional structures. The sky is partly cloudy.

Pre - Works

Row of brown brick townhouses with white window trims, some with decorative arches, and small front gardens with bushes and stairs leading up to the front doors.

Cozy kitchen and dining area with wooden cabinets, open shelving, a round dining table, and a sideboard, illuminated by natural light from a window.

Living room with two sofas, a fireplace, a small TV, large windows with curtains, and various potted plants.

Bathroom with wooden walls, two pedestal sinks, a window with curtains, a mirror, a bench, and a bathtub.

Point Cloud - Post Strip Out

3D scan of an old, partially renovated, multi-story brick house showing interior spaces, staircase, and construction details.

Interior view of a partially constructed multi-story building with exposed wooden framing, a staircase, and four windows.

We used in-house 3D scanning to capture the site from the strip-out stage through to post-works, enabling seamless collaboration and maintaining a detailed visual record of conditions before and after construction.

Challange

Room under renovation with exposed brick walls, a gravel-covered floor, and wooden ceiling beams. construction poles are set up, and there's a window providing natural light. Construction materials and tools are scattered around, including a ladder, a small stool, and a white toilet visible on the right side.

Basement

Interior of a building under construction with exposed brick walls, wooden framing, and an unfinished staircase leading upstairs.

First Floor

Ground Floor

Interior of a building under renovation showing exposed brick walls, wooden framing, and a staircase with peeling white paint leading to a second floor.

Loft

Working within a conservation area on a hill, the project required detailed planning and a strong, methodical process. After stripping out, it was ever more clear that the floor structures and brick walls had severely deteriorated, lost their structural integrity, and required a full rebuild.

The Approach

scaffolding around a brick building with a large plastic tube running down the center, some of the building covered with white tarps, and construction signage on the scaffolding.

Front Elevation

Building under construction with scaffolding wrapped in pink safety netting and a blue tarp at the bottom.

Rear Elevation

PELHAM & Co. delivered the project entirely in-house through a fully integrated design-and-build process. Coordinating all teams under one roof ensured every stage aligned with the design intent, maintaining precision, quality, and efficiency throughout.

Structural Highlights

Interior of a building under construction, showing scaffolding, wooden beams, exposed brick walls, a window, and a door.

Under renovation brick building with scaffolding, construction materials, and a window visible.

The project involved the complete reconstruction behind the retained façade; it required the design and installation of a bespoke vertical and horizontal Mabey temporary works system to support the retained façade and adjoining party walls. Every stage required exceptional precision, detailed planning, and seamless collaboration across all disciplines, enabling safe rebuild within a confined urban site.

Structural Highlights

Construction site with exposed wooden and metal framing for floors and ceilings, including scaffolding and support structures.

Interior view of a building under construction with wooden stairs, brick walls, and construction materials stored inside.

Construction site with wooden floor framing, scaffolding, and partially exposed brick walls, covered with white protective sheeting.

After installing new structural steel floors floor by floor and removing the chimney stacks internally, we rebuilt each floor structure floor by floor. New internal layouts were formed, with a temporary staircase installed for the first fix, and M&E was installed.

Transformation - External

A multi-story brick building under renovation with scaffoldings and pink safety netting covering the front facade, and construction debris on the ground in front.

Rear Before

Brick building under construction with scaffolding. Large open garage on ground level, construction materials inside. Ladders and trees nearby, blue sky overhead.

Rear During

The exterior rear elevation was completely removed and rebuilt. This allowed us to improve the building's structure, enhance its energy efficiency, expand the basement level, and create a master bathroom where an unused balcony had been located. Keeping the original detailing and carefully selected bricks to give the façade a timeless yet contemporary finish.

Transformation - Internal

Interior wall with electrical wiring and plumbing pipes in a construction site, unfinished drywall and wall studs.

New Services

New Windows

The property was comprehensively modernised with new double-glazed windows and a complete installation of electrical, plumbing, and heating systems to meet modern performance standards.

Transformation - Finishing

Underfloor Heating

Basement Tanking

Construction site of an indoor space with unfinished walls, a built-in recess, and glass windows showing neighboring buildings.

Plastering

Polished Concrete

Traditional plastering and underfloor heating were introduced throughout, while full basement tanking ensured durability, comfort, and long-term protection against moisture.