Restoration or Wreckage???

Question

The refurbishment of the Huguenot house in Spitalfield is merely another example of wreckage masquerading.

Turning some of the rarest architecture in Britain into Yuppie precincts is vile and filthy. What is worse is that they do it with the nod of English Heritage which is too lazy to list alot of the buildings which whilst architecturally rare are not rare enough.

But to see this lovely historical Rembrandt-style house turned into a modern place with skylight, carpeted stairwell, etc. filled with revulsion.

I did a show for Spanish tv in one of these houses, talking about the walks which I run around Spitalfield and the old Huguenot district. The light coming from the first floor window, through that blown glass, was something out of Rembrandt. As I sat there in the hall foyer I could see the refracted light. It was glorious. Pure Rembrandt.

The stairwells are to die for. Seventeenth century stairwells. Beautiful crafted oak.....curving, winding...but large steps.

Answer 1

Hi , i am a conveyancer and i was asked last year to do the research on a place in cornwall , wealdon 15th century owned and maintained by our lovely friends E.H. . When i arrived on site i thought that i may have the wrong address , reasons are that the windows were from the 1978 period plastic frames , stuck -on leaded strips. The door was an excact copy of something you would find from that particular period and that was a bespoke made item also from plastic material. I was there on my own for about an hour waiting for a representative of E.H. to arrive. I decided to decline that inspection because of the sheer horror that was bestowed in front of me. I had left the property before any of the E.H. crew had arrived. I am not supposed to have any bias opinion in my profession , but i have to draw the line on this occasion. I couldn't go inside the building (luckily) and i wouldn't do if i was able. It has to be one of the most unsympathetic buildings i have ever seen from this era.  I sympathise with your thoughts and emotions on this subject , but alas what can we do to such an organisation who are just constantly destroying part of a heritage that deserves  just a bit more planning , forethought and implementation.  Can you imagine what that place must of looked like inside , considering the exterior of the windows and door? horrendous.  Keep up the good work and lets somehow try to restore and cherish anything that is untouched by modernist business tycoons.....

Answer 2

Well, that sounds like wrecking doesn't it.  Get on to the team at London Tonight.