REDCLIFFE GARDENS, CHISWICK, LONDON

This group of twelve houses makes the best possible use of the gardens of a large Victorian house overlooking the river Thames at Chiswick in West London. The site is part of a conservation area in a very desirable part of the city.

The finely detailed reception rooms of the original house, with their river views, are preserved and combined with new building to make two generous residences, each with six bedrooms and five bathrooms on the upper floors.

On either side, two pairs of new houses with white-painted verandahs and balconies also have private gardens running down to the river. Each has five bedrooms and three bathrooms.

On the landward side are two further blocks, each of three houses of five- and four-bedroom formats, with smaller private gardens.

The new houses are built in two colours of brick with reconstituted stone dressings, white-painted window surrounds, door-cases and other features, and slated roofs.

The buildings have three storeys, with the top floor incorporated into the roof spaces with dormer windows. Together, the formal fronts of the houses enclose an elegant private garden court.

The interiors are simple, traditional in character with generous windows and simple detailing. Each house has an elegant staircase rising from the entrance hall.

Built by Collier and Catley, the project was completed in the spring of 2000.