Barbourne Terrace

Formerly two Georgian houses, this large property near the centre of Worcester had been turned into offices and let to local businesses, one being Radio Wyvern. The turntables, microphones and DJs had gone before we let the architects loose, and they came up with a design that restored the main properties and introduced four new town-houses to the grounds.

The new-build was relatively straightforward, the restoration problematical. Merely getting to the first-floor required the skills of climber Chris Bonnington, for the sweeping staircase had been removed, while the plastered walls and sacrosanct elm floors needed careful nurturing to restore the bloom of their youth.

We did not receive any design awards for this functional conversion of derelict space, but we look back on it with pride as a meaningful contribution to the city.