Kensington IV

Design Brief

A full refurbishment of this three-story and basement Kensington mansion required detailed design development and coordination with the main contractor, building services consultants and interior designer to climate control the whole house through a visually discreet, high specification cooling system.

Solution

Calibre were engaged prior to the strip-out stage to develop an initial outline specification to a fully integrated design, consistent with the architectural and interior design vision. Comfort cooling and mechanical ventilation to the whole property was achieved with minimal visual impact to match client priorities. Systems were controlled throughout the property by sleek black wall controllers specific to each zone for precise regulation.

Mechanical ventilation was installed to the basement, serving the area through a subtle plaster-in linear bar grille. The pool area required a specialist cooling and ventilation system, with air terminals hidden in the ceiling rooflight recess, making it completely invisible.

Limited ceiling voids on the ground floor meant that one fan coil unit had to be creatively concealed in the top of the full height joinery in the front reception. This serves the area through a discreet plaster-in twin slot diffuser in the ceiling, with the return air slots routed into the top of the doorway. Throughout the rest of the ground floor, units were concealed behind the joinery where possible, featuring inconspicuous plaster-in and joinery framed linear bar grilles.

In the master bedroom on the first floor, there was sufficient ceiling space for a slim horizontal fan coil unit to be placed above the dressing room, with an access hatch in the ceiling – this was then able to serve the bedroom through a near-invisible linear bar grille hidden at the edge of the coffered ceiling. Throughout the other first floor bedrooms, equipment was concealed in joinery and air terminals comprised a selection of slots in joinery and skirtings, and discreet plaster-in linear bar grilles. Ventilation to the bathrooms and ensuites takes place through a selection of ceiling mounted circular air terminations and slot diffusers, remaining loyal to the minimalist interior aesthetic.

On the top floor, again a lack of roof space meant that a new solution had to be brought to the table for concealment of ductwork and fan coil units. These were installed in the eaves void to the sides of the rooms, and serve the rooms through slots in the skirting board and under the windowsill. Unobtrusive hatches in the wall provide access for ongoing system maintenance.

To comply with local authority planning requirements, the external condenser unit was installed in a bespoke acoustic enclosure concealed in the lightwell at the front of the property, thus being invisible from the road and minimising the noise levels.