Belgrave Square Through Time
Belgrave Square
Designed by George Basevi for the developers William and George Haldimand, construction of the properties was undertaken in the 1820s with many of the houses occupied by 1840.
The four sides make up a perfect square of incredible symmetry and comprise of eleven stuccoed houses of 19th century architectural grandeur.
The south-east terrace comprises of 12 houses, there are also detached mansions in three of the four corners.
In the centre, the private communal garden at 2 hectares is listed Grade II on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Residents of Belgrave Square
Some of Belgrave Square's residents have included the Duke of Kent; William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp; Leontine, Lady Sassoon and the Embassies of Austria, Spain, Norway, Serbia, Romania, Portugal and Germany.
In this illustration of Belgrave Square in 1828 by Thomas H Shepherd, a British artist well known for his architectural paintings, you can see the striking architecture in great detail.
The facades project a grand elegance of symmetry and style. Over time, and to this very day, the architecture of Belgrave Square remains as it was. The picture below shows the same view 200 years on.
Time replacing horse and carts with cars, a change in fashion, and yet Belgrave Square itself ever present with a preserved authenticity.
Timelapse Transition Through Time
To illustrate Belgrave Square Through Time, we have created a video transition showing the 1828 image set against it's modern day counterpart, nearly 200 years on.
As you can see, so little has changed in the appearance and design of the buildings, and yet so much else has obviously changed over the last 200 years.
It is a testament to the original design and architecture that Belgrave Square remains as authentic now as to when it was first built.
If you focus in on some of the architectural highlights, it's inspiring to see how these have been respected over time, with the faithful refurbishment of facades and frontages remaining visually accurate.
One can really see the finer architectural features and how they have been maintained through time, from the details around the windows, the railings, even the positioning of the street lamps to the pillars of the residences themselves, echoes of the past.
Architectural Masterstrokes
What lies behind these facades ranges from opulent classic through to more adventurous undertakings. For example, from one of our own super-prime projects in Belgrave Square, the basement swimming pool complex is an architectural sight to behold, a masterstroke of design and engineering.
"Working on the Belgrave Square project has been a privilege, and an exciting challenge. In several parts of the project, we had to come up with some very creative solutions to achieve the excellence in design we were looking for.
The basement swimming pool illuminated ceiling element was the most challenging and rewarding, the results are simply stunning."
- Simon Balthazor, Project Director | Xavio Design
Two floors underground, the swimming pool complex is a testament to modern architecture and building practices, an incredible accomplishment. It serves as an example of what can be achieved in the depths of Belgrave Square's basements.
For the lighting, we came up with a design that would give the effect of an orangery rooftop view to the sky. When you step into the pool area, the rooftop lighting gives you the feeling that the sky is just above you.
To really get a sense of how daylight has been simulated, this video shows the contrast between lights on, and lights off. The effect is truly stunning and the light transitions show the depth of range and movement.
For Belgrave Square, there are close to 200 years of design excellence on display. We find that it isn't just what lies behind the famous exterior walls, but also what lies beneath. Mega Basements across London are further examples of the architectural masterstrokes that make the most of the limited space available.
In a city where building outwards is a challenge, modern building techniques ensure building not just upwards, but downwards is an option to consider, however only where permitted which can be challenging with listed buildings.
It's a privilege for our team at Xavio to have been invited to produce lighting designs for properties in this historic part of London.
It will be interesting to see how Belgrave Square looks in another 200 years, everything indicates that it will proudly withstand the progress of time magnificently. History is on it's side.
