Smart’s Place

Smart’s Place is a new private dwelling constructed above a nineteenth century warehouse in Covent Garden, introducing a penthouse apartment within newly created upper levels of an existing commercial building.

The project introduced a private residence within a constrained central London site, where new construction was limited by the capacity of the existing building and its surroundings. The design is arranged as a series of stepped volumes, responding to the surrounding rooflines and creating rooms with defined views across London. The plan locates service spaces along the party wall, with principal rooms facing south and opening onto projecting bays and terraces.

The original roof structure was removed and replaced with a lightweight steel frame, carefully arranged to manage additional loads and avoid overstressing the retained fabric. Local strengthening and new vertical load paths were introduced throughout the building, with foundation interventions where required. The civil design focused on adapting the existing drainage infrastructure to serve the new accommodation. New internal rainwater pipework and below ground drainage elements were integrated within the constraints of a fully built over site.

Building services for the dwelling were designed as a self-contained system, replacing the former roof plant and establishing new infrastructure at high level. An air source heat pump provides heating and cooling via underfloor systems and fan coil units, supported by mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. New incoming services, boosted water supply, and controls were coordinated within the compact plan, alongside the extension of the lift to serve the new floors.

The project also involved interventions to the retained office accommodation below. Existing building services were stripped out and replaced, with new ventilation, heating and cooling, power, and lighting systems coordinated with revised riser routes and the relocation of plant displaced by the extension. Structural and fire strategy works were also undertaken to support these changes and to integrate the new residential levels above.

The creation of a home rather than additional commercial floorspace is a novel approach, especially within central London, diversifying how the building is used and keeping it in use beyond the working day.