housing
Erbar Mattes, 2021
133 Shepherdess Walk, N1 7QA
Visit a secluded urban courtyard forming part of the transformation of a Grade II listed former pub
Angel, Old Street
Essex Road, Haggerston, Hoxton
21, 341, 38, 43
The Blockmakers Arms is a mid-nineteenth century former public house located within the Regent Canal Conservation Area in London, UK. It is nationally listed at Grade II.
The site is located at the end of a terrace of three storey town houses that form the west side of Shepherdess Walk. Five to six storey buildings of recent construction and mixed use occupy the former site of an industrial sawmill to the west and a clothing factory to the north. A large rectangular courtyard with high brick boundary walls forms part of the site.
The site was formerly owned by the Wenlock Brewery and continued to operate as a public house well into the 1960’s. In the 1970’s it was converted to residential use and subdivided into three independent flats. As part of this conversion, an external stair was added to the rear façade to connect the upper floors.
Prompted by the family expanding, the residents of the ground floor acquired the vacant first floor and approached Erbar Mattes Architects to form a duplex. One of the main challenges consisted in creating a larger dwelling, while retaining separate access to the self-contained apartment on the second floor.
To overcome this the external circulation is relocated to the side elevation and a new raised walkway added to the rear. The resulting arrangement creates a new visual and physical connection to the courtyard.
Visitors will meet the architects and gain access to the private courtyard and external areas. Please note that there is no access to the interiors
