Cornwall Terrace, Regents Park - Members News - Blogs

Cornwall Terrace, Regents Park

Posted by Selectaglaze on 5th September 2011.

Overlooking London’s Regents Park, this historic terrace of magnificent Grade 1 Listed Regency properties - formerly the headquarters of British Land – has been fully restored and converted back for residential use. Reconfigured to form eight “stately homes” overlooking the Park’s lake, the Cornwall Terrace properties have been carefully restored to the specification of the Crown Estate and English Heritage, in conjunction with architects familiar with the unique nature of Regency property. Each house has an accompanying two bed Mews House.

Plans originally drawn up in 1811 included the provision of a Palace for the Prince Regent (later King George IV), a number of grand detached villas for his friends and a terrace of houses around the fringes of the park. However, architect John Nash’s master plan for the area – then known as Marylebone Park – were to be thwarted with just the Terrace being constructed some ten years later.

Each residence is now named after a notable person connected with the Terrace, for example “Siddons House” (No. 9) after the nineteenth century actress Mary Siddons, friend of the great actor-manager David Garrick, who in 1817 protested to the Prince Regent when she discovered Cornwall Terrace was to be built, obscuring her “views of the countryside” from her Upper Baker Street home. The Prince kindly agreed to move the Terrace to its present location. And “Silk House”, recent winner of the * London Evening Standard’s New Homes 2011 – “Best New Luxury Home” category – named after the explorer and founder of The Calcutta Journal, James Silk Buckingham (1786-1855).

These five storey properties with their enormous entrance halls beautifully finished with near-white limestone flooring and grand staircases sweeping through the buildings make a spectacular first impression. Restoration has incorporated state-of-the-art technology but still manages to balance this with originally styled fireplaces, plaster cornicing, ceiling roses and high skirting.

The main reception rooms are of classic dimensions with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing natural light to stream into every corner of the room. The traditional single glazed sash windows are a defining feature of the Terrace but do not provide the levels of comfort or thermal performance that is expected today. In collaboration with English Heritage and architects Tate Hindle, secondary glazing specialist Selectaglaze was tasked with the design and installation of secondary glazing systems that would be sympathetic to the window design, markedly reduce heat loss, remove the discomfort of draughts and provide significant noise insulation. In addition, Selectaglaze has particular expertise in working with heritage windows glazed with Crown Glass. The requirement for improved security to selected windows was met with products meeting the standard for “Police Preferred Specification”.

Most windows were treated with a matching sash window from the Series 20 or series 90 range. A white powder paint finish, recessed finger lifts and flush lines minimised the impact of the windows and bespoke sizing for each of the 240 windows ensured the best fit.

Secondary glazing is a reversible adaptation that can play an important role in bringing new life to listed buildings. Selectaglaze, a Royal Warrant holder, has wide experience of working in listed properties but secondary glazing is applicable to any type of building in need of thermal insulation, noise attenuation or enhanced security.

The Company has recently produced a Guidance Note on the ability of secondary glazing to improve a building’s energy performance. This is of great relevance to all Building Owners and Managers wishing to reduce energy usage and so manage costs and environmental impacts.

*London Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2011- BEST NEW LUXURY HOME WINNER: Silk House, Cornwall Terrace.

“The London Evening Standard New Homes Awards, now in their 20th year, celebrate the highest standards of skill, design and craftsmanship in today’s new homes. Entries were judged by a panel of industry experts and 20 Evening Standard readers with an interest in homes and property.

“Best new luxury home was won by Silk House, a restored £29 million Nash mansion on Regent Park’s auspicious Outer Circle. With 8,833 sq ft of space over four floors, it has six reception rooms, five bedroom suites, a gym and spa, guest suite, staff quarters, library, home cinema, vault and garage with ram-proof doors.” Architects: Tate Hindle. Interior Design: OAKMAYNE Bespoke.

Selectaglaze are the acknowledged specialists and market leaders in the design, manufacture and installation of secondary window systems. Secondary glazing involves the installation of new, fully independent secondary window frames on the room side of the existing or primary windows. For further information, please contact Selectaglaze on 01727 837271; enquiries@selectaglaze.co.uk or visit: www.selectaglaze.co.uk

Find out about selectglaze in the Heritage Register here

Keep up to date with the latest ProjectBook articles and blogs with our RSS feeds and subscribe to our newsletter.