Kensington, London
51 Cathcart Road
A new-build four-bedroom family home with wellness basement, set within the Boltons Conservation Area. Four storeys of considered design on a 145m² site.
A new-build four-bedroom family home with wellness basement, set within the Boltons Conservation Area. Four storeys of considered design on a 145m² site.
51 Cathcart Road is the redevelopment of two underutilised urban parcels — a former garage and electricity substation adjacent to a Victorian terrace, and a timber-framed studio to the rear of Redcliffe Gardens — into a single, high-quality family home within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
The design evolved through 13 options explored across three rounds of formal pre-application engagement with RBKC, resulting in a carefully resolved scheme that optimises the site while preserving the character of the Boltons Conservation Area.
Entry is via a bridge over an internal courtyard from Cathcart Road. The home is arranged across four levels with a central roof garden providing daylight and ventilation throughout, while a fixed louvre system on the east elevation manages privacy without sacrificing natural light.
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Arranged across four levels with a central roof garden providing daylight and ventilation to all floors.
Access from Cathcart Road via a partly glazed bridge over the courtyard below, avoiding overshadowing the rooms beneath.
A central roof garden between the upper volumes provides daylight and ventilation to rooms that would otherwise be landlocked.
Fixed louvres with three graduated patterns restrict horizontal views while encouraging vertical sky and garden views. Two-way privacy without sacrificing light.
Gym, sauna, steam room, and games room beneath the garden. The basement covers less than 50% of open area, fully compliant with RBKC Policy CD11.
White render, gault brick, and timber — drawn from the surrounding Victorian streetscape. Massing stepped and articulated to sit subservient to neighbouring terraces.
A residential lift connects all four levels, providing step-free access throughout and meeting M4(2) accessibility requirements.