Issue 42 summer 24 web - Flipbook - Page 68
The Soane Stables at
The Royal Hospital Chelsea
As a second year Student of Architecture in Rome I had encountered Sir John Soane’s Stables at the Royal
Hospital Chelsea (1814-17) in my History of Modern architecture module. It has been considered the first
Modern building in Europe, and acclaimed as “a masterpiece of his minimalist classical form” (Fig 1 below).
After nearly 40 years, I found myself working as PBA Project Architect for the Conservation Project on that
very building, to be repurposed as a Visitors’ Centre for the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Governors’ Stable was occupied by an EDF substation
and forgotten with no access since.
Sir John Soane to build his Stables, and its neighbouring
Infirmary, (which was demolished after being damaged
during the Blitzes), demolished Sir Christopher Wren’s
larger stables (to his regret). (fig 2)
After WWII, many arched openings have been blocked
and sashes were introduced, the original beautiful
herringbone yellow klinker brick floors were covered by
non-breathable concrete screeds and many internal walls
were demolished to create more flexible spaces for the
evolving Hospital needs.
The Governors, at the time, considered The Soane
Stables not in keeping with the Wren architecture on site,
therefore in the buildings that followed on West and East
Road, Soane didn’t dare again to express his innovative
modern architecture within the Royal Hospital Chelsea
boundaries; rather preferring to set gems of joinery into
Wren’s envelops.
Fresh discoveries during the project have shown how
Soane reused and repurposed many 17th century materials within the foundation, the walls, the drainages, the
roof structure and incredibly inventive fire barriers in his
new building.
In recent years, the Stables’ poor condition were in
dramatic contrast with its well-maintained surroundings.
Majority of the new Soane Stables’ walls are erected on
top of Wren foundations, the new yellow Soane bricks,
are primarily used for the uniform Courtyard facades, they
were mixed together with new mulberry bricks on other,
less prominent and visible, elevations of the Stables. The
predominantly red and mulberry bricks of the interior
walls stand flush against the external yellow bricks (fig 3).
Bomb damages caused by the Blitz and the consequent
intrusive 1960s interventions, have accelerated the
process of deterioration of the building that has lost its
use. Since that time The Soane Stables building has become workshops and hobby spaces for the In-Pensioners,
a restroom for the Porters and storage; and part of The
Above, figure 1
i
i
Conservation & Heritage Journal
66
