Barnes Hospital

Squire & Partners gained outlined planning consent for a new community development on a 3.5-acre site, formerly Barnes Hospital, for Southwest London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust. The masterplan provides 83 residential apartments within a mixture of new and retained refurbished buildings, a Health Hub with Mental Health provision, a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school for up to 90 students and a new landscaped communal garden.

Proposals include the refurbishment of three original hospital buildings dating from the early 1900s, which both reflect the site’s history and connect the new development with the adjacent Queen’s Road Conservation Area.

The Health Hub and an L-shaped SEN school building comprise simply detailed brick structures with high levels of natural light, softened by landscaping incorporating pedestrian pathways and cycle routes.

Taking inspiration from established garden squares of London and traditional garden suburbs, a series of low-rise residential buildings are arranged on the periphery of a generous communal landscaped square. Expressed as contemporary red brick buildings with a variety or roof profiles, the residential blocks feature decorative elements derived from nearby influences including patterned brickwork, herringbone gables and shingled facades.

Meadow-like landscaping, as well as green and brown roofs, provide an organic and informal environment while encouraging biodiversity and minimising ecological impact. The masterplan establishes views across the site towards the Old Mortlake Burial Ground to ensure visual connectivity for residents and the local community.