St Marys Island Sectors 10, 11, 13 & 15

Description

The 1960's Commonwealth Institute exhibition building was conceived as a 'tent in the park', embedded into Holland Park with an entrance plaza off Kensington High Street. The new landscape design retains these key characteristics, providing a sensitive balance of public and private environments. The green undulating topography creates an intriguing setting for the building and utilises the challenges of the existing site levels and retained trees, yet minimises the visual impact of operational needs and the essential engineering works undertaken for the development. The scheme provides a stronger visual and physical connection to Holland Park. For the public - The plaza off Kensington High Street is revitalised with features reflecting the historical context of the Commonwealth Institute along with sculpture, water features and exhibition display cases that mark the route to the Design Museum central plaza. For the resident's - a shared private garden with extensive planting and play-space; private amenity space is provided as a variety of terraces, juilet and projecting balconies, and patios at ground level.

Planning History

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Major Planning Development Committee resolved to approve the planning application in 2009 with final planning and listed building consent issued in July 2010. Some later amendments were made to improve the building setting - entrances and engagement with the ground floor level; incorporating complex operational and technical functions; and to respond to the development of the diverse apartment layouts. The scale and positioning of the three new residential buildings adjacent, enabling the development, sensitively and confidently support the presence of the refurbished Commonwealth Institute building making this viable for future generations by creating a new home for the Design Museum. Given the sensitivity of the site and the Grade II* status of the listed building the planning process required extensive collaboration with RBKC, English Heritage and many other statutory and local stakeholders.