The Water Tower, Shooters Hill

Residential & Mixed Use

Comprehensive transformation into a remarkable family home. The tower was originally built in the 1890s but was repurposed by replacing the tank with a glass viewing deck and adding a two-storey living pavilion. Careful restoration work preserved the tower's original charm, with the brickwork cleaned and damaged terracotta mouldings rebuilt. The project gained recognition and featured in various TV shows and publications.

Client
Private Client
Location
London, UK
Value
£700 k
GIA
300m²
Status
Completed

Team

    1. Project Manager Sid Smith
    2. Structural Engineer Engineers HRW
    3. Coordinator Sid Smith Project Management

This painstaking and challenging transformation converted a Victorian water tower, originally built in the 1890s by Thomas W. Aldwinckle to supply water to the now-demolished ‘Brook Fever hospital,’ into a remarkable family home. The tower, standing at eight storeys and 25 meters tall, was adorned with plain brickwork and bands of terracotta tiles, featuring arrow-slit windows. It was crowned with a lead-lined, cast-iron tank.

To make it habitable, the tank was replaced with a glass viewing deck that followed the same profile. Additionally, a two-storey pavilion, designed for living purposes, was added at the base of the tower. The pavilion includes an entrance hall, kitchen, and living/dining space on the ground floor, as well as two en-suite bedrooms and a utility room on the floor above. A covered bridge spans the “moat” and connects the tower to the accommodation, which consists of only one room per floor. Furthermore, a hydraulic lift was installed alongside the tower’s staircase, leading to a tower-top observatory level.

During restoration, great care was taken to preserve the tower’s original charm. The brickwork was sandblasted and chemically cleaned, while damaged terracotta mouldings were meticulously rebuilt to match and seamlessly integrated.

In contrast, the new pavilion boasts extensive metal-framed glazing. The ground floor matches the tower’s plinth with brick, while the first floor is clad in stainless steel.

The project gained recognition and featured in numerous TV shows and publications, including The Architects Journal, Building Design, Evening Standard, Time Out, and The Times.