Member Article

RED Construction appointed to bring history & heritage to life with landmark £8.1m Nightingale Lane development

Farringdon-based main contractor, RED Construction Group, has secured an £8.1m one-year contract from Joseph Edmund to deliver a 16,170 sq ft residential conversion and extension at South London’s landmark Audiology House at 45 Nightingale Lane.

Situated within the SW12 conservation area, Audiology House was established in the early 1900s and owned by famous engineer George Jennings. The major new development will see the Victorian villa sensitively transformed from its more recent audio equipment manufacturing use back to its original residential purpose, while maintaining the building’s historic character and charm.

Due for completion in spring 2021, the debut project by Joseph Edmund will see the RED Construction Group produce 19 well-appointed apartments, forming the premium and exclusive accommodation scheme envisioned by award-winning architecture firm Darling Associates. Eight of the apartment units will sit within the retained Audiology House structure, while the further 11 will feature across a new sympathetically converted factory space at the rear of the building.

The regenerative works will include the careful addition of front wings, constructed from a steel frame and precast brick and Portland stone façade, adding a new dimension which will nod to the building’s heritage while adding a modern touch. Existing ancillary buildings will be demolished, and the main Audiology House structure will be underpinned along with all the site boundary walls, to create a lowered ground floor level. A mixture of face brickwork at low level will be complemented by zinc cladding across the top half of the building, wrapped over the “north light” style roof. Additionally, a landscaped garden will be restored at the front of Audiology House, in-keeping with the history of the site and its location within walking distance of Clapham and Balham.

Graham Sturge, Managing Director of RED Construction, added: “Audiology House is such a unique project steeped in history, and something that we were pleased to secure as part of our diverse residential portfolio. We have worked on many projects that require sensitive development and delivery with strict heritage and conservation guidelines, so there is a wealth of experience across our team allowing us to convert this one-of-a-kind building within the short timeframe available. We pride ourselves on collaborating with exciting new developers, and on projects that are inspiring and challenging in the capital, which Joseph Edmunds and Audiology House both present.”

A Joseph Edmund spokesperson commented on the appointment of RED Construction: “As the first development for the company, Audiology House is ideal for us to showcase what can be achieved with the opportunity to sympathetically adapt an exciting and historical building for the residential market. We wanted to create a space that was both unique and appealing and that would really catch the attention of local residents within the South London area. RED Construction were the best contractors for this project as their team really understood our vision and, as London specialists, have delivered previous successful conversion projects within city environments which is essential for this build to be ready for next spring.”

The news follows the announcement of RED Construction Group’s appointment by Seaforth Land to deliver a distinctive commercial project at 20-23 Greville Street in Holborn, due for completion in summer 2021. Working with award-winning architects Groupwork + Amin Taha, RED Construction will reinstate the structure’s original Edwardian architectural details and bring new purpose to the site.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Harriet Shaw .