Camlin Lonsdale has submitted proposals for improved public realm at the South Terrace and Arcade café spaces of the Grade 1-listed house in Holland Park, on the behalf of Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

Holland House, an icon of Jacobean architecture , suffered catastrophic damage from incendiary bombing in 1940. The surviving fabric and country estate, with its origins in Sir Walter Cope’s ‘Cope Castle’ of 1604 and Holland dynasty, has been in the guardianship of successive public authorities since 1952. But despite this, the building has been largely inaccessible during this time. The intricate limestone façade has provided the setting to performances by opera company Opera Holland Park, but remains relatively unappreciated for the rest of the year.

Now the primacy of the country house in its estate setting is being re-established through a series of interventions. The proposals will include the high-quality refurbishment of the South Terrace for public use, as well as the restructuring of the Arcade café space.

Subject to planning permission, the work is programmed to start this autumn with completion in spring 2018.

Director and lead landscape architect Xanthe Quayle commented, ‘The application is the culmination of a strong collaboration between the council, opera and Friends of Holland Park. We are humbled to be part of such a special project to bring the heritage narrative back to this beautiful building and its unique setting.’

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