Radlett, Loom Lane
We were asked to provide heritage advice for a replacement dwelling within the setting of No. 29 Loom Lane, a Grade II listed Modernist house in Radlett. Designed by architect George Marsh for his family in 1962–64, No. 29 is distinguished by its light steel structure and dramatic hyperbolic paraboloid roof forms. Three curved roof sections, known as ‘hypars’, and overhanging cedar elements give the building its distinctive architectural character.
An approved scheme had already established a new dwelling on Plot 1. Our commission concerned Plot 2, where the client proposed replacing a derelict house. Although the Council accepted the principle of replacement, it raised concerns that the initial design repeated the approved dwelling on Plot 1 rather than responding individually to the listed house’s architectural character.
Our advice supported a bespoke contemporary approach, drawing on the scale, form and architectural inventiveness of No. 29 without directly copying it. This helped establish how a distinctive new dwelling could respect the listed building’s setting while maintaining a clear identity.
The Council approved the revised scheme, welcoming its individual design and sympathetic relationship with the listed house. The project demonstrates how heritage advice can support contemporary development within the setting of an important Modernist building.
