Stacking Centuries of Stone

Refusing to mimic the 20th century impressions that comprise the architectural canvas of Clerkenwell, this architect has created new traditions while still paying homage to old ones

“Today, Clerkenwell Close is mostly made up of mid-to-late 20th century, half brick stretcher bond, pseudo pastiche facades, unable to tell which period or architectural language they represent” says architect, Amin Taha. “15 Clerkenwell Close replaces one of these and aims in some way to better connect and represent the past with a broader contextual understanding than skin-deep imitation, at first contemporary but reminding us of the all-but-vanished 11th-century limestone Norman abbey.”

15 Clerkenwell Close is a six-storey housing block situated in the historic London suburb of Clerkenwell, and contains eight apartments including Amin Taha’s home and the sutdio of his architecture practice, Amin Taha + Groupwork. With enough time during the design process to investigate context and a number of possible solutions to replace the all but vanished boundaries of an 11^th century limestone Normal abbey, Amin Taha controversially chose to create a new architectural facade. The cube-like façade is made up of square windows that are framed in a variety of stone textures which express the different ways the stone is treated. While some pieces of the stone are rough and straight from the quarry, others are smooth or scored by marks made during the extraction process. A fallen column with a partly carved ionic pilaster has been placed at the base of the building to cryptically pay homage to St. James’ Church across the street, as well as its predecessor from the Norman era. While separate but still structurally connected to the building envelope, the stone façade is not just decorative.

“The use of stone as superstructure reduces the embodied carbon of the overall superstructure by 90% compared to steel or concrete frames. Reason enough to promote the reuse of stone for such purposes, though its dressing in this instance is quarry found fossilized coral and ammonite shells can give way to any taste on other designs. Thermal bridging is overcome by disengaging structure from thermal envelope and using a 40mm solid nylon bar. This also aids better waterproofing by allowing a continuous curtain wall to run internally without attempting to waterproof all window openings within the stone structure,” says Amin Taha.

15 Clerkenwell Closes’ organic aesthetic is carried throughout the building design with the inclusion of other self-finished materials such as brass, revealed cloisters, pebble mosaic floors and scallop shell handles. The residential units feature column-free interiors with open-plan living concepts, centrally-positioned bedrooms, and built-in oak volumes that house the kitchens, bathroom and storage areas. The oak brings a warmth and welcoming feel to the otherwise raw interior.

Previously unkempt land to the south of the building has been landscaped to serve occupants and neighbours. The abbery narrative has been continued with new pebble mosaics and further part-carved medieval stonework. A biodiverse roof is home to two beehives, bird nests and habitat for invertebrates. Four mature trees are used to soak up 90% of the average annual rainfall and therefore avoid rainwater attenuation tanks and further basement excavation. A glazed solar chimney has also been placed on top of the stair and lift core with a rain-proof, open-glazed overhang to allow natural smoke ventilation and avoid mechanical equipment, an increased carbon footprint and running/maintenance costs.

While an architectural feat within the local neighbourhood, 15 Clerkenwell Close faced a demolition notice issued by Islington Council in September 2018, just one year after construction was complete. The drawn-out dispute over the buildings’ façade revealed that an enforcement officer had taken an “instant dislike to the design” and has since been “charged with taking out a demolition order and redacting all approval information showing stone, height, design and finishes”. While the planning inspectors report does require the façade to be ‘more uniform’, lowering of the solar chimneys, pruning of the surrounding trees, and building out of the office floors whether occupied or not, 15 Clerkenwell Closes’ striking stone façade will be left intact.

15 Clerkenwell Close

Location
15 Clerkenwell Close, London, EC1R 0AA

Architect
GROUPWORK + Amin Taha Architects

For more information, visit GROUPWORK.