Hoxton Hall is a Grade II*-listed and very rare surviving Victorian music hall located on bustling Hoxton Street in East London. The building is used as a community arts centre.

Skelly & Couch has contributed to the first phase of the ‘rescue’ and restoration of one of Scotland’s greatest Modernist buildings, designed by Gillespie, Kidd and Coia, which has lain in ruins for 25 years.

High House Artists' Studios is a new-build development of affordable artists' studios as part of High House Production Park in Purfleet, Essex.

Building on the resounding success of UP Projects’ pilot Floating Cinema 2011 project, Morris + Company won the Open Architecture Competition to design the next phase of the acclaimed venture, conceived to offer a permanent lifespan on the water.

Bishop’s Palace House was formerly a drab 1970s brown brick car park and shopping centre in Kingston upon Thames’ Old Town Conservation Area on the bank of the river, next to the town’s Grade II-listed bridge.

The project is a conversion of a large, leaky 1960s warehouse into a calm and light-filled south London studio/workshop/gallery/office space for the ceramics artist and writer Edmund De Waal, author of The Hare with Amber Eyes.

The project formed part of the Horniman’s wider ambition to create a better link between the museum and its gardens. The aim of the proposed new community and education building was to create an inspirational learning environment, bringing the learning experience to the outside and therefore maximising the full potential of the existing garden site.

The home of the touring theatre company for young people with complex disabilities, Oily Cart, is located within the Annexe of a Grade II-listed school in South London (Smallwood School) and recently underwent a refurbishment, with a large part of the existing building fabric retained.

Conversion into a Versatile Creative Hub

RIBA Award winning conversion of a 19th-century warehouse in the Covent Garden Conservation Area into rehearsal, education, and support spaces, including a rooftop dwelling for visiting artists. The design improved energy performance by 23% and is future-proofed for district heating.

The Donmar Warehouse, a leading theatre in Covent Garden, London, acquired a robust Victorian warehouse nearby Dryden Street. The building was converted into rehearsal, education, and support facilities, blending its original character with modern upgrades, including a rooftop extension for visiting artists, a new stair core, and a double-height rehearsal space.The Donmar Warehouse, a leading theatre in Covent Garden, London, acquired a robust Victorian warehouse nearby Dryden Street. The building was converted into rehearsal, education, and support facilities, blending its original character with modern upgrades, including a rooftop extension for visiting artists, a new stair core, and a double-height rehearsal space.

The project aimed to reduce energy use by at least 20% while creating a professional work environment within a limited budget and compact site. Dynamic thermal simulation modeling predicted a 23% improvement in energy efficiency and a 19% reduction in CO2 emissions, with provisions for future connection to a district heating network. Skelly & Couch provided full M&E design, monitoring, and support during construction. Following its success, they were appointed for the full refurbishment of M&E services at the Theatre.

Due to impracticality of insulating the existing external facade, roof insulation was enhanced for better thermal performance. Daylight modelling ensured natural light in rehearsal spaces and offices. Enhanced natural ventilation was incorporated throughout offices, green rooms, meeting rooms, the library, reception areas, and residential flats. High-occupancy areas, like the main rehearsal space, are mechanically ventilated with air supplied from a rooftop plant room.

A highly efficient heating plant, advanced lighting systems, and sophisticated BEMS reduce energy consumption. Additionally, sub-metering and targeted controls provide detailed insights into energy consumption patterns, enabling informed adjustments and savings, and a solar thermal array supplies energy to partially meet the building's domestic hot water needs, reducing dependence on non-renewable power sources.

Domar Warehouse creates an energy-efficient, creative and professional environment within a constrained urban space. It preserves the historical essence of the building while minimising its environmental impact.

Awards

2015 RIBA London Regional Award winner

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in north London is the only permanent outdoor theatre in the UK. During summer it opens its doors to an audience of 1,240 every evening.