Retrofit Tours are a celebration of retrofitted buildings in the city of London. To bring to life the challenges of retrofit and showcase what is possible through collaboration, the Building Centre in conjunction with our partners, invites you to tours guided by the architects of some recently retrofitted buildings.
Operating in different contexts, retrofitted to varying degrees and for various reasons, each tour will make plain what is possible when we choose to work with what we already have, adapting it to the needs of the users. Join us for a guided tour by the architects followed by time to ask your burning questions.
Heyne Tillett Steel (HTS) employed Ian Chalk Architects’ (ICA) expertise to plan and oversee the extension of their office on Chart Street to include; additional office space and a new building over the yard.
Being structural and civil engineers, HTS were both the client and engineers for this project. Together, HTS and ICA retained 86% of the existing building structure, reduced material waste and extended the design life of the building. It is no surprise that Chart Street Studios has won several awards including the Structural Timber Awards in 2021, NLA Awards and the AJ Retrofit awards both in the following year. Despite being completed almost two years ago, it continues to attract much interest both from architects and the general public alike.
Join us for a tour of the studios guided by the architects of it and accompanied by engineers from HTS. Stay for the presentation and Q&A with time for mingling after and drinks provided by Heyne Tillett Steel.
Schedule
5.30pm- Arrive at Chart Street Studios
(Chart House, 16 Chart St, London N1 6DD)
5.45pm- Tours begin
6.15pm- 'Talk only' attendees arrive
6.30pm- Upstairs for Talk; presentation by ICA & HTS with Q&A
7.15pm- mingling
8.00pm- Event ends.
Tour leaders:
- Ian Chalk (Director/ Architect- Ian Chalk Architects)
- Giles Wheeldon (Associate/ Project Architect - Ian Chalk Architects)
Ian founded Ian Chalk Architects in 2014 and alongside a small established team in Clerkenwell, he leads the practices specialism in adaptive re-use strategies with a particular focus in theatres, housing and community- based projects. The practice has won a number of prestigious design awards, most recently winning a RIBA award for the work at Chart Street Studios. Notable recent projects include Troxy Theatre (the redevelopment and extension of the iconic east London venue) and Tin Pan Alley (the careful repair of a number of listed buildings along Denmark Street
Giles has worked on a number of projects across the ‘heritage’ and ‘arts and culture’ sectors with a particular focus on adaptive re-use of buildings and cross laminated timber. He was the Project Architect on Raine House Community Centre; the careful repair and refurbishment of a 1719 former charity school in East London, and more recently Chart Street Studios. The adaptive re-use of a 1930’s furniture warehouse in Hackney and winner of an RIBA London Awards. He is currently leading the refurbishment and extension of the Grade II listed Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge.
*There are two ticket types, 1- tour + talk (5.30pm arrival) and 2- talk only (6.15pm arrival). Please book the ticket which best suits you.
