Wilkes Street

In the heart of Spitalfields, a Grade II listed Georgian townhouse was brought back from near destruction following a devastating fire in 2023. The project required a delicate balance between conservation and renewal, restoring the architectural integrity of the house while discreetly upgrading it for contemporary use.

Working closely with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, House of Design Architects secured listed building consent to reinstate the building’s historic character with precision and care. The original staircase, badly damaged by the fire, was painstakingly repaired and reconstructed to match its eighteenth-century proportions and detailing. Throughout the house, panelling, cornices, mouldings, doors and floorboards were recreated using local precedents from the 1820s, ensuring continuity with the surrounding historic fabric.

Behind this carefully restored envelope, the building was quietly modernised. New mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems were integrated to meet current standards without compromising the historic interior. The townhouse’s corner retail unit was also sensitively reinstated, reinforcing its relationship with the street.

Developed in collaboration with interior designer Georgie Stogdon and delivered by Sonsino Turcan Construction, the project was completed in 2025. The result is a layered restoration that honours the building’s past while securing its future as a living piece of Spitalfields’ architectural heritage.