We have been working over a number years on a rolling programme to upgrade the services, enhance the technical infrastructure and improve the thermal performance of the Grade II*-listed 6000m² Battersea Arts Centre, formerly Battersea Town Hall. 

New spaces for the exchange of ideas and hybrid working at the Grade I-listed institution

Restoration of underused double-height basements created a new auditorium and three flexible event spaces with cutting-edge digital technologies for 220 people. Upgrades included remodeled WCs and improved ground-floor access. Energy efficiency was enhanced through new double glazing, low-carbon heating, and thermal zoning.

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – with a voice that champions the study of peoples, cultures and societies, past, present and future. Situated within the Grade I-listed Nash-designed Carlton House Terrace, the building lies between The Mall and Pall Mall in London’s Mayfair.

Skelly & Couch led the survey of existing services to plan diversions and demolitions of works alongside an extensive review of archive record drawings to understand the existing systems in place. New double glazing was installed, improving energy efficiency with a 40% reduction in heat loss. Natural ventilation was maximised by using direct connections to the outside for air paths.

Bespoke mechanical and electrical systems were designed to suit the building’s historical constraints. A reversible air source heat pump replaced gas boiler heating, providing low-carbon heating to the events spaces. This is facilitated by thermal zoning, a component of the new building energy management system which includes full fault diagnostics and energy sub-metering.

Heat reclaim mechanical ventilation enhances this setup by supplying filtered air while retaining most of the energy already used to heat the building. The auditorium ventilation system's design was carefully designed to align with the building’s architectural and structural needs without compromising its listed status. Additional energy-saving technologies include LED lighting with occupancy, daylight, and dimming controls, as well as low-flow water fittings to reduce hot water consumption.

The refurbishment of the lower floors of the British Academy marks a significant step in the Academy's mission to enhance both physical and intellectual access to the building, facilitating new conversations, new connections, and new ways of thinking within its historic walls.

The iconic, Grade II* Listed Chichester Festival Theatre was designed by Powell and Moya and opened in 1962. Based on Tyronne Guthrie’s Festival Theatre in Stratford, Ontario, it boasted the first modern ‘thrust’ stage auditorium in the country. Over the past fifty years it has been a hugely successful and influential centre for the performing arts and has been extended on a number of occasions to address changing demands, leading to a dilution of the original design.

Exemplary refurbishment of the school’s Grade II*-listed Main House.

New Build and Refurbishment in a Heritage Context

4.5-hectare heritage public realm and new Discovery Centre for the Grade I-listed Chatham Dockyard. The project achieved major environmental improvements by eliminating heating in large areas and upgrading thermal insulation and building services systems. 2017 RIBA Stirling Prize finalist.

This multi-award-winning project at The Historic Dockyard Chatham preserved key Scheduled Ancient Monuments and the 18th-century HMS Namur timbers. It introduced world-class galleries, interpretation spaces, visitor facilities, a 4.5-hectare heritage public realm, and a Discovery Centre to highlight the dockyard's significance during the age of sail.

This multi-award-winning project at The Historic Dockyard Chatham preserved key Scheduled Ancient Monuments and the 18th-century HMS Namur timbers. It introduced world-class galleries, interpretation spaces, visitor facilities, a 4.5-hectare heritage public realm, and a Discovery Centre to highlight the dockyard's significance during the age of sail.Skelly & Couch provided full mechanical, electrical, public health, and environmental design for the project. Significant energy savings—both carbon and financial—were achieved, crucial to the long-term sustainability of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust’s strategy. These were realised through enhanced thermal insulation and upgraded building services.

From the outset, the design prioritised environmental conditions to preserve the ship's timbers. The specialist advised maintaining them in their existing condition (as floor joists beneath the floor) without heating or ventilation. To address the thermal and latent loads from visitors, Skelly & Couch developed a natural ventilation strategy.

Undercutting the old timber north and south doors by 50mm allowed cross-ventilation and ensured adequate fresh air. Provisions were made for a future fan installation in the store beneath the link bridge adjacent to the undercroft, to accommodate potential temperature and moisture fluctuations. While the bays above and adjacent to the Namur undercroft are heated, many bays in the mast house and mould loft remain unheated.

Another challenge was concealing containment routes while ensuring future service access would not damage the timbers. For instance, positioning smoke detectors required planning to place supports without disrupting the exhibit.To minimise waste, a proportion of existing cast iron radiators and coolie light fittings were refurbished and reused wherever possible.

The project successfully combined heritage preservation with sustainability, achieving both carbon and financial benefits while safeguarding its historical significance.

Awards

2016 – Civic Trust Conservation Award Regional Finalist.

2016 – Offsite Construction Awards Finalist.

2017 – RIBA Stirling Prize Shortlisted.

2017 – RIBA National Award Winner.

2017 – RIBA South East Regional Award Winner.

2017 – RIBA South East Conservation Award Winner.

2017 – RIBA South East Building  of the Year Winner.

2017 – Kent Design & Development Award Winner.

2017 – AABC Conservation Civic Trust Awards Finalist.

2018 – Civic Trust Award Winner.

2018 – RICS South East Best Tourism and Leisure Award Winner.

2018 – RICS Best Project Winner.

See BBC feature and video 

Watch a 360 degree interactive video of Command of the Oceans.

The project involved the sensitive upgrade of an existing restaurant facility on Covent Garden’s famed Opera Terrace within the historic Grade II*-listed Market Building.

The Donmar Warehouse is a leading producing theatre company in London’s Covent Garden. Having acquired a small 19th Century warehouse building in nearby Dryden Street, the theatre wanted to convert it for rehearsal, education and support facilities. The challenge was to design a convivial and creative professional working environment within the constraints of a limited budget and a tightly enclosed site set within the Covent Garden Conservation Area.

The project is to refurbish and extend a Grade II-listed building in the centre of Dorchester’s urban conservation area to create a ‘Collections Discovery Centre’ for the Dorset County Museum. The development will create new facilities for display, education, research and the storage of reserve collections in a basement at the Museum’s site. It will bring new opportunities for audiences to search and explore the collections and associated stories, improve access to the Museum’s resources, deepen opportunities for research and further encourage public engagement. The project will support the local economy and tourism offer and create extra collecting capacity for museums across Dorset. 

Redevelopment of a Grade II-listed Victorian landmark in the heart of London's Clerkenwell

Skelly & Couch was appointed to provide technical input for the masterplan and outline planning application for future developments at the City of London Freemen’s School, a co-educational day and boarding school located in Ashtead Park, Surrey.