The Nottingham Mews House marks the radical transformation of a previously unloved and poorly conceived house at the heart of Nottingham’s Park Estate.
The project featured on the 2nd series of Channel Four’s Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke.
CE+CA’s work celebrates the very best elements of this unique location. The aim was simple – to create a sense of joy and pride in arriving home. The project takes it cues from the estate, celebrating the rich language of caves, brick walls and courtyard gardens.
The Park Estate was built in the mid 19th Century as a series of large detached villas and their mews houses as a planned private estate in the heart of Nottingham. The Nottingham Mews House was originally constructed in the 1980’s from cheap red brick and unsightly UPVC windows. The client bought the property due to its fantastic location at the foot of the castle hill but not for its appearance.
An exquisitely crafted brick wall replaces the original external skin, using pattern, brick projections and proportion to create a new decorative facade. At first floor level, this wall becomes a filigree brick screen through which sunlight forms dappled patterns on the roof terrace.
The front door is set within a deep recess and opens into a double height space with a giant rooflight, creating the feeling of being in an external courtyard at the heart of the home.
The living accommodation sits at first floor level. Where the original house fought against its hillside context, the simple reconfiguration of rooms and window openings now gives every space direct access to terraced gardens with views out into The Park. Windows are positioned to give every space a dual aspect, soaking in light and views of the beautiful surroundings. Internally, the soffits differentiate each of the first floor spaces, from the generosity of the main living room to the compressed low ceiling of the kitchen, culminating in the vaulted space of the dining room. 
Nottingham Mews House was shortlisted in the 2018 RIBA East Midlands Awards.
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