Situated on Kensington Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, KPF has reimagined a former college campus to create a Later Life facility with residences that adapt to the changing needs of Extra Care residents. The project will restore and repurpose historic buildings and enhance the public realm by opening up formerly inaccessible space.
The design provides an inclusive and vibrant environment for its residents whilst ensuring the character of the Conservation Area is preserved and enhanced. Three historic townhouses are reinstated to residential use and the historic portion of the college is refurbished and converted to Extra Care use. For the new buildings an architectural language has been developed that is a modern interpretation of the historic fabric, to house communal facilities, services and on-site affordable housing.
The public realm is enhanced through a series of interconnected courtyards and gardens across the development, opening up previously inaccessible space. A landscaped deck will be constructed above adjacent Tube lines, repairing an urban rift, to improve the outlook for residents and promote future east-west connections. At the heart of the site, Garden Square will provide substantial, calm, quiet, green space for those in the local community. A café and community hall are incorporated within the ground floor, allowing the development to be fully integrated with the existing neighbourhood.