Whites Grounds is located in the Bermondsey conservation area, an up-and-coming part of central London close to London Bridge, where The Shard is nearing completion and White Cube Bermondsey recently opened.
The existing building is a five-storey warehouse dating back to the end of the nineteen century with a distinctive character and a traditional gable roof structure. Guarnieri Architects were engaged to extend and redesign the interior of the 200 M sq penthouse apartment, situated on the top two floors.
The main challenge was to add a new structure in this conservation area, simultaneously bringing more light into the apartment, whilst also taking advantage of the stunning views across the city. The new structure brings a bold contemporary look, using structural glass to differentiate itself from the character of the existing building. The glass enclosure is continuous and the goal post structure that holds the sliding door onto the terrace is set behind the plane of the glass, allowing the use of one type of detail only for the entire glass structure.
