BTP project celebrates RICS London Project of the Year Award success

The transformation of the dilapidated former Bethnal Green Town Hall into a luxury hotel complex took the Project of the Year accolade at the RICS London Awards, held at Kew Gardens.

The winning restoration project, which also won the Building Conservation category, challenged Rare Architecture to produce a modern, up-market hotel, which meant facing a number of specific challenges and the ‘unknowns’ of a historic and neglected building. In the opinion of the RICS London judges, all of these have been met and satisfactorily overcome.

The refurbishment of particular areas of the building required the intervention of highly specialised trades and special approval under the conditions of the Listed Building Consent. The works demonstrate a high degree of skill in restoring and repairing all areas to fulfil their function, but without fully refurbishing to a `brand new’ look.

The judges were impressed by the major conservation achievements of this project in that it preserves all the feature rooms and areas in their original state, while expertly converting them to a present-day function. They were also enthused by the visually uncompromisingly modern additions at roof level and to the rear elevations which they felt enhance and complement the restored existing structures.

“This project demonstrates a degree of sympathy and sensitivity towards the fabric and concept of the original building which is rarely found, but which is borne out by the evident commercial success of the hotel complex.”

Barry Woodman, Chairman of RICS Awards London Region Judges

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