Inglis Architects Pty Ltd.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants

CULTURAL CENTRE FOR CZECH AND SLOVAK IMMIGRANTS

Inglis Badrashi Loddo

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

AREA
752 m²

LOCATION
London, United Kingdom

CATEGORY
Cultural Center

YEAR
2017

PHOTOGRAPHS
David Grandorge

MANUFACTURERS
Vmzinc, Bea Clay Solutions

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Price and Myers

BUILDING CONTRL
Quadrant Approved Inspectors

CLIENT
Velehrad London

MAIN CONTRACTOR
Credibuild

PLANNING CONSULTANT
MZA

M&E CONSULTANT
Will Potter Partnership

LANDSCAPE DESIGNER
Bestique

CDM COORDINATOR
Goddard Consulting

LANDSCAPE DESIGNER
Bestique

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

Founded by the Czech refugee Father Jan Lang in 1964 from a house in Notting Hill, Velehrad London is a charitable organisation whose mission is to provide religious, cultural and social support and counselling to emigrees from the former Czechoslovakia.

As a gathering place for Czechs and Slovaks living in and visiting London, Velehrad is designed to host a variety of events, accommodate the practical needs of the organisation and reflect its history and culture.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

The resultant work by IBLA creates a welcoming and adaptable cultural centre for Velehrad London that combines modern features and designs with historic renovations and extensions, bringing a Victorian property into the 21st Century.

Previously occupying a residential building in Notting Hill, the organisation bought Woolborough House – formerly the home of Russian ‘Maitre de Ballet’ Edouard Espinosa then headquarters of the British Ballet Organisation - and commissioned IBLA to refurbish and reconfigure the premises.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

The brief asked for spaces including a concert/function hall and performance space, classrooms, accommodation for visiting priests, prayer rooms and spaces for meetings and community events.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

The coach house’s original facade was restored after demolishing a series of poor quality single-storey extensions from the 1930s.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

Plaster finishes were stripped away and the spaces reconfigured to allow the existing openings (lined in new grey-painted timber) to lead through into new cloakrooms, a kitchen and an apartment for visiting priests above.

The front facade and metal roof trusses of the studio were retained and incorporated into a new function hall for concerts, lectures, cinema screenings and events. 

An innovative retractable screen wall was installed in the hall to separate sections of the centre for events.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

Further space to serve community events was added in front of the coach house and green rooms and ancillary spaces for performances tucked into the basement of the main house.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

Woolborough House itself was
fully refurbished and upgraded to
accommodate classrooms,
reading rooms and a space for
Catholic masses.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

A new lift to allow disabled access, new stairs, handrails, painted panelling and a rear balcony were also incorporated into the extensive refurbishment by IBLA.

Where the original fabric was found to be in good condition, this was carefully repaired and restored; where it was in poor condition, it has been improved with new construction.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge

Newly built elements are understood as a continuation of the history of the building; a seamless synthesis of old and new, which respects, preserves and re-frames the existing context in a new light.

Viewed from the garden at the back, or from the front of the site, this can be read in the varied tonal range of the brickwork across the facade.

Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
© David Grandorge


Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
Sections
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
Site Plan


Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
Lower Ground Floor Plan
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
Ground Floor Plan
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
1st Floor Plan
Cultural Centre for Czech and Slovak Immigrants
2nd Floor Plan

Inglis Architects Pty Ltd.
T +61 3 94211441
Inglis Architects Pty Ltd.
11 Amsterdam St, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia