Aldenham House, Habs

Elstree

Refurbishment and reuse of the Grade II* listed Aldenham House and Stable Block for Haberdashers’ Boys’ and Girls’ School, preserving key elements from the 17th and 18th century and Victorian periods.

The project centred around safeguarding external building fabric, with roofs completely stripped and upgraded with insulation, wider more accessible gutters and maintenance access brought up to modern standards. Some structural repair was necessary and kept as minimal as possible, in line with conservation principles and respecting the original fabric.

Internally staff flats were moved to a better position in the building, with new facilities. The beautiful older rooms they previously inhabited have become meeting rooms. A highlight of the project was raising a Victorian clerestory oculus by 300mm without disturbing the ceiling plasterwork.