Cornwall Terrace

Situated on half an acre, overlooking Regent’s Park, the Grade I listed property was one of nineteen houses forming the Greco-Roman Cornwall terrace designed by Decimus Burton under John Nash, and built by property developer James Burton between 1821 and 1823. It was the first terrace to be built in the park.

Walter Lilly oversaw the project management of the works, working closely with client-appointed contractors throughout from hi-tech audiovisual, to security, and garden landscaping.

One of the major undertakings was the creation of two extra floors two metres beneath the original basement. Inside, new ceilings, floors, roof slating and roof lights were installed, and existing historic features restored including windows, fireplaces, and a cantilevered stone staircase that was returned to its original configuration. Skilled craftsmanship was required for the extensive stone and joinery work, especially when working with luxurious finishings and materials such as black-illuminated onyx, quartz stone and bespoke hardwood floors with laser-cut rope borders in steamed and stained oak that was installed in four of the bathrooms. Plasterwork included the part restoration and part new cornices, columns and wall features. A notable feature was the installation of automated moveable walls and cabinets and a unique three-dimensional ‘rippled sand’ finish to the bathroom walls and swimming pool edging inspired by seashore patterns.

In 2012, it was lauded in the press as ‘the most expensive terrace property in London’ .

Walter Lilly’s Project Manager, Matt Stagg, was awarded a Silver medal at the CIOB Construction Manager of the Year Awards 2012, in part due to his skilled management of a long series of design changes which included a change of architect part way through the project.

The London Passenger Transport Board

Following the declaration of war on the 3 September 1939, building work across the country came to a standstill. The realities of war meant that the government was forced to enact emergency measures to divert supplies from civilian activity towards the war effort.

In 1942, Walter Lilly won a contract with the London Passenger Transport Board to carry out camouflage works at the London & North Eastern Railway depot at Hainault in North East London.

The contract included detailed specification of the paints to be used, application techniques and treatment required for different services. These specifications were the work of the Directorate of Camouflage, a unit set up at the start of the war which employed skilled artists, sculptors, architects and designers. Their designs aimed to break up the forms and outlines of objects making them hard to detect by German bomber pilots.

Aerial photography from the late 1940s shows the shed roofs appear to be painted in an irregular pattern.

Serpentine Lido Boathouse

One of the earlier known projects where records are retained of Walter Lilly’s involvement including the construction of a replacement boathouse for the chlorination boat at the Serpentine Lido in London’s Hyde Park. Old cinefilm footage taken at the time evidence the construction of this iconic boathouse, along with original construction drawings.

Café Royal

The modernised incarnation of the Café Royal was masterminded by millionaire ‘milk bar king’ ‘Mr Piccadilly’ Charles Forte who acquired it in spring 1954, being co-opted onto the board along with some of his business associates. Forte’s vision was to restore it to its original glory days as a top-class restaurant whilst also making it an attractive modern venue for a clientele of class and distinction. In 1957, he reportedly said ‘They’ll not change the Café Royal while I own it. I don’t believe in changing a place with a history’.

Walter Lilly was appointed to undertake the extensive remodelling, and in 1956 a programme of ‘expansional alteration’ began, to enhance both ‘capacity and comfort,’ providing accommodation for 750 patrons from the previous 400.

Major remodelling to form extensive conference and banqueting facilities centred around the creation of three new suites named after notable sporting figures associated with the Café Royal: the Marquess of Queensberry, Lord Derby, and Lord Lonsdale. The main restaurant and bar were enlarged. The baroque décor of the Domino Room, renamed the Grill Room, was retained as Forte was strongly opposed to any thought of obliterating the irreplaceable décor of this exquisite room’.

In 2008, Café Royal closed as part of a £500m redevelopment of The Crown Estate Quadrant at the southern end of Regent Street. Just over fifty years since the previous remodelling, Walter Lilly was once again contracted to work on the building, with responsibility for managing the refurbishment of the ‘Areas of Specialist Interest.’ This included the entrance and stairwell, the Celestine Room, Club Room, Pompadour Room, Domino Room and Empire Room. The company’s remit also included the famous Grill Room, which had been damaged by fire.

Hippodrome ‘Talk of the Town’

Theatre producer and director Bernard Delfont, and show producer Robert Nesbitt formed Theatre Restaurants Ltd together with Charles Forte, to create a new venue The Talk of the Town to be ‘the most up-to-date theatre restaurant in the world’. The concept for the new venue was the brainchild of Belfont and Nesbitt who selected the Hippodrome as the best candidate for their venture.

The renovation project was a large-scale building and engineering operation, with wholesale remodelling of the interior to create a luxurious and modern theatre restaurant offering the ultimate ‘big night out’ under one roof.

The new state-of-the-art stage featured a host of technical elements, including a bridge with rising and sliding orchestral rostrums, a large Venetian type blind that could be electronically raised, lowered and tilted, and an electronically controlled pre-set contour curtain. Of special interest were rear-folding draw-curtain tracks. One of the more stunning features was the installation of two large chandeliers above the auditorium that rose electronically into ceiling-walls to clear the line of sight for patrons.

A revolving rising apron stage was installed on the site of the old water tank, involving excavation of an area 45 feet across and 40 feet deep, and there was also provision for the use of an ice-floor and fountain spectacle.

Tarrant Place, Crawford Street

Construction of mews townhouses over a new basement car park for long-standing client National Car Parks on Crawford Street in central London.

The project involved creating a new basement car park on the site of an existing, partly covered surface car park, and the construction of ten townhouses and a maisonette forming an enclosed court with new access from Wyndham Place. The scheme was designed by the traditional architect Quinlan Terry of the then Erith & Terry, and the housing development was later named Tarrant Place.

The constraints of the site posed both design, construction and planning challenges, particularly as the depth of the basement car park was determined by the gradient of the access ramp.

London England Temple

Originally named the London Temple, the London England Temple was the second temple built in Europe for the Church of Jesus of Latter Day Saints, the first being the Bern Switzerland Temple of 1955, and was the first built in the United Kingdom.

The major remodelling works included the addition of a fourth floor that replaced the mezzanine level, the creation of three additional instructional rooms bringing the total to four, and the addition of two sealing rooms where eternal marriages are performed, bringing the total to eight.

All mechanical systems were upgraded, including electrics and security systems, and a new heating and ventilating system was installed such that 40% of the total area was air-conditioned. No expense was spared, with the interior wholly repainted, refurnished, and finished to extremely high standards using luxury materials and high-quality finishes throughout, such as gold plating. Access was also improved, including provision of wheelchair access in many areas. Works also included the extensive cleaning of the exterior, an extended parking area, and significant landscaping improvements. The Temple is known locally as the Mormon Temple, and has become a landmark for the area, being clearly visible to travellers from both the road and the air.

Other Mormon church projects were commissioned on the back of the Temple project, which was timely as the Temple project occurred at a time when Walter Lilly was under significant financial pressure. The project made a huge contribution to an upsurge in financial fortunes, not least as it was the first to expose the company to top-end ultra expensive and high-quality finishes.

Southwark Cathedral Millennium Project

Formerly the parish church of Southwark known as St Mary Overie, Southwark Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship for over a millennium, but only became a cathedral in 1905. The present building is mainly Gothic, and dates from 1220 to 1420. This Millennium Project was one of many schemes conducted across the country to mark the beginning of the new millennium; Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu launched the appeal for the project in 1997.

Major project elements were the creation of a new main entrance to the cathedral complex on the north side of the building to remove pressure from the cathedral itself, whilst providing improved facilities through the construction of a new building range linking the Cathedral’s 19th century offices with the Chapter House. The new building range incorporated a refectory, library, shop, education centre and a range of meeting and function rooms for a wide range of services, concerts and activities promoted by the Cathedral.

A new walkway was created to showcase archaeological finds revealed during construction works. Of special note are a former Roman road and a 17th-18th century Delftware pottery kiln, which were conserved and remain exposed at the east end of the street. One of the new development’s main features was the interactive Visitor Centre.

The new buildings were opened in April 2001 by Dr Nelson Mandela following a service at the Cathedral church. His Royal Majesty King Charles III, at the time titled Prince of Wales, also visited the buildings following the opening. The project received significant recognition following its completion, notably runner up for the Natural Stone Craft Awards ‘New Buildings in Natural Stone’ category in 2003 , the RIBA Awards in 2002, and the Tylers and Bricklayers Company Triennial Awards in 2002. For the latter, a special award for Craftsmanship was bestowed for the tile arches.

Cadogan Hall

The distinctive Grade II listed building of 1907, originally known as First Church of Christ Scientist, was designed largely in Byzantine Revival style by Robert Fellowes Chisholm. In 2000, Cadogan Estates bought the church to safeguard its future. The opportunity and purpose to restore the building to a use befitting its character and form presented itself when the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra sought a permanent London home.

Walter Lilly were engaged as Main Contractor for the conversion of the former church building into a multi-purpose arts venue for musical rehearsal and performance, exhibitions, meetings and conferences. An extensive two-year refurbishment programme was undertaken to safeguard the building for the future and satisfy the venue’s new requirements. Works included enlarging the stage, installing seating for 950 across steeply raked stalls and low gallery, improving disabled access and fire separation, and undertaking repairs and refurbishment to the fabric of the building.

Dudley House

Dudley House is a 4,087m2 three storey, nine bay, Grade II* listed Grecian town mansion located in the City of Westminster’s historic Grosvenor Estate, fronting both Park Lane and Hyde Park. Dudley House was severely damaged in the Second World War’s 1940 Blitz and subsequently reverted to possession by the Grosvenor Estate. It was used as a temporary office but deteriorated over time to ‘a near ruin’ until 1969-70, when property development and investment company Hammerson converted the house into offices with extensive renovation, re-stuccoing, and modernisation to designs by architects Sir Basil Spence and Anthony Blee.

In 2006, Walter Lilly commenced the restoration of the building to a single residence which was a complex process, with the integration of structure and services being particularly intricate. Despite the house’s substantial alterations, including the insertion of extra floors when used as offices, many elements of the original Regency period interiors remained.

The house was restored to its original form as far as was possible, according to the client’s vision, thereby creating opulent interiors that were in-keeping with the originals rather than being pastiche replicas. This can be seen especially when comparing the restored interiors with historic photographs.  Pinto founder, Alberto Pinto, produced the concept designs for the interior spaces, and in collaboration with Formation Architects updated the proposals in line with the owner’s requirements.  Notable elements included marble bathrooms, a grand main staircase, chandeliers throughout, 17 bedrooms and 14 reception rooms. Of particular importance was the use of historical records as reference for the rebuilding of the heavily bomb damaged ballroom and gallery. Upon completion, the house was reportedly Britain’s most expensive private residence. When visiting, then reigning Queen Elizabeth II apparently remarked that the house made her “Buckingham Palace look rather dull”.

Queen Mary BioEnterprises Innovation Centre

The Queen Mary BioEnterprises (QMB) Innovation Centre is a new 4,000m2 building situated on the Queen Mary University of London’s Whitechapel campus. The site previously included an old 1970s university hospital building, terraced housing, shops and offices. Opened in 2010, QMB provides semi-bespoke laboratory and office space for science and technology startups.

Walter Lilly acted as the Main Contractor for the construction of the £21m five-storey concrete building on a constricted site, with shared narrow access. The first phase of the project involved the demolition of the existing buildings, followed by a second phase of construction.

The building, designed by the architectural firm NBBJ, features a 13m cantilever and the upper floors overhang the service yard. The ground level incorporates floor to ceiling glazing, a public café, and is home to the building’s teaching spaces.

The building was shortlisted for the RIBA London Awards 2010.

Hanover Lodge

The Grade II* listed Hanover Lodge was built in 1827 to designs by celebrated architect John Nash for General Sir Robert Arbuthnot, and was the only villa in the park personally designed by Nash. The upper storey was entirely rebuilt with an extension by Lutyens c.1909. It is located in two acres of grounds and is one of the grand residences on the Outer Circle of Regent’s Park.

Walter Lilly managed extensive alterations and refurbishment, including a comprehensive fit out of opulent bedrooms, ten luxurious bathrooms, a new kitchen and utility rooms, as well as the installation of a lift, food hoists and extensive electrical, mechanical and hi-tech audio-visual systems.

The works notably included the creation of an expansive 140m2 private leisure area, the main feature being a large underground swimming pool constructed using a floating floor which could alter pool depth and also convert the pool into a ballroom.

Attention to detail was of prime importance in a property of this magnitude and value, not least as the design incorporated many bespoke features including ironmongery, joinery and marble. All finishes were of the finest quality and specified to an exacting standard. The extreme high quality of the plasterwork in particular is especially worthy of note, as it won several prestigious industry awards. Part restoration, part new bespoke, Walter Lilly ensured that the original plaster ceilings, cornices and wall features were restored from designs hand-drawn in situ using intricate custom moulds, with dot and screed work used with striking effect on the walls. The neo-classical Lutyens ceilings and were carefully restored to their original state.

The project was recognised across the industry, receiving several awards from Cast Stone Association, Stone Federation, Federation of Plastering & Drywall Contractors (FPDC). Walter Lilly’s Project Manager, Bob Byrne, received a Highly Commended at the CIOB Construction Manager of the Year Awards 2010.

7 July Memorial

The proposal for a permanent memorial for the victims of the 7 July 2005 bombings was announced on 13 February 2006. The ‘singular and collective loss inflicted by the bombings’ informed the memorial’s character, and the design was produced by working closely with the families of the victims. Fifty-two 850kg stainless-steel cast vertical pillars, each representing one of the 52 lost lives are arranged in an open pattern of four interlinked clusters, each signifying the four bomb locations.

Each pillar has unique surface marks caused by the open-cast process, as well as an eye-level inscription with the date, timing and location of each victim. A separate cast stainless steel plaque located on a grassy bank at the head of the memorial records the names of each victim.

The memorial was unveiled on 7 July 2009, on the fourth anniversary of the bombings, by the then Their Royal Highnesses, Charles III and Camilla, in a ceremony attended by the families of the victims, representatives from the emergency services, and senior political figures.

The project received a RIBA Award for the Arts & Leisure Category, 2010. Walter Lilly were honoured to be associated with such an important and moving project, as whilst not a scheme that readily fitted into any one company division, the heritage was most apt.