Hush House
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The facade animated by shifting of exterior blinds
Recladding and extension of existing office building to create 24 residential apartments and ground level parking
On Nicholas Street, the stripped frame is articulated, clad in stainless steel, with infill glazing on an unusually large scale for Chester. External, whole-bay blinds controlled by the individual residents provide random animation to this facade. On Weaver Street, the flush panelised lead of the flank walls meets proprietary cladding, including east-facing projecting balconies.
The whole building treatment involves an unusual level of evident hand-craftsmanship, though this approach is at home among Chester’s crafted historic buildings. The palette is steel, glass and lead – panelised generally on the flank walls – the sculpture is also in lead, a letter-play on the spelling of Hush House.
Data
- Begun: Jun 2001
- Completed: Dec 2002
- Floor area: 2,212m2
- Sector: Residential
- Total cost: £2.4M
- Tender date: 2001
- Procurement: JCT Design & Build
- Address: Weaver Street, Chester, CH1 2BQ, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Ian Simpson Architects
- Project architects: Ian Simpson, Jacquie Milham, Lynsey Graham, Nick Owen, Rachel Haugh
- Client: Macbryde Homes
- Construction manager: Simon Fenton Partnership
- Structural engineer: Martin Stockley Associates
- Services engineer: Barrett Electrical & Mechanical
- Main contractor: Barrett Electrical & Mechanical
- Sculptor: Charles Poulson
Suppliers
- Demolition: Windmill Demolition
- Curtain walling: Bretton Architectural
- Lifts: Express Evans Lifts
- Steel and lead cladding: Carlton Building Services
- Reinforced concrete frame: Queghan Civil Engineering
- Steelwork: Cringate Engineering
