Canterbury, Kent.

Nunnery Fields Hospital redevelopment >2006

Part refurbishment and part new build of 21 houses and 37 apartments within a Georgian Institutional building.

The workhouse was constructed in 1850 accommodating about 400 inmates. It acquired a 70 bed infirmary in 1883 and latterly became a geriatric unit before being abandoned in the 1980’s.

The original scheme was for the conversion of the building into town houses.

The challenge with this project was to retain as much of the existing fabric of the building, which is in part derelict, and refurbish it whilst retaining its grandiose character.

A significant amount of the existing building fabric had to be removed to enable a new structure sufficient in its integrity to bond the retained facades together.

The result is a remarkable feat of engineering and care undertaken by the contractors to retain the qualities of the original building within the finished project.

The entire 1.2 acre site has now been fully developed.

original layout: