Feix&Merlin Architects has been awarded Practice of the Year at the AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards for their sensitive and innovative refurbishment of the Grade II-listed Walworth Town Hall, blending heritage preservation with modern, sustainable design and community engagement.
The AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards recently celebrated architectural excellence in the renewal and repurposing of existing buildings, spotlighting projects that prioritise reuse of materials and structure across 16 categories. Among the highlights was Feix&Merlin Architects being named Practice of the Year, largely for their sensitive and innovative restoration of Walworth Town Hall in south London. This Grade II-listed building, a local landmark since 1894, had suffered severe fire damage in 2013 and was subsequently placed on the Heritage at Risk register.
Feix&Merlin’s transformation of Walworth Town Hall is testament to the firm’s commitment to preserving heritage while adapting to contemporary needs. Retaining 95% of the original structure, the project carefully blended restoration with the introduction of modern materials such as Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glulam. These sustainable timber inserts were pivotal in rebuilding damaged sections, including the reconstruction of a vaulted ceiling in the former council chamber. The ground-floor café and lobby now feature open-plan spaces with timber ceilings and arched timber columns, creating a welcoming environment that supports both community use and flexible workspaces designed to accommodate over 550 people.
This complex project involved collaboration with developer General Projects and Southwark Council and required an extensive design process, producing over 5,000 drawings. The scheme also incorporates a community centre composed of three flexible rooms, managed by the Walworth Town Hall Community Space Board—a non-profit group comprising local residents, youth representatives, council members, and General Projects’ management arm. Judges at the awards praised the project’s strong community engagement, noting that the team went beyond its initial brief to enhance public access and inclusivity throughout the lifespan of the project.
The restoration’s environmental credentials were equally recognised, with significant embodied carbon reductions estimated at 68 tonnes CO2e through the use of mass timber construction methods. This sustainable approach aligns with wider industry trends in achieving net-zero retrofit ambitions, a key theme underscored by the AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards themselves, which rebranded last year to better reflect an evolving industry focus on sustainability and material reuse.
Feix&Merlin Architects, an LGBTQI+-led practice based in Peckham and founded in 2006 by Julia Feix and Tarek Merlin, exemplify a versatile approach to retrofitting that balances heritage conservation with strong community-oriented architecture. Building on their success with Walworth Town Hall, the practice is also working on adaptive reuse projects of varying scales, including a notable collaboration with David Chipperfield Architects on a London School of Economics building and a smaller-scale regeneration project in Walthamstow involving railway arches and public realm improvements.
The Practice of the Year award recognises Feix&Merlin’s ability to deliver equitable, high-quality design while navigating complex restoration challenges. Their work demonstrated “admirable perseverance” and a nuanced understanding of how adaptive reuse can simultaneously protect heritage, respond to environmental concerns, and foster local community involvement. The award ceremony, held at The Brewery in the City of London, culminated the AJ Retrofit Live conference and featured a rigorous judging process involving a panel of 30 esteemed professionals, highlighting how Feix&Merlin’s achievements set a benchmark for the sector.
As retrofit and reuse become increasingly critical in the fight against climate change and urban regeneration, projects like Walworth Town Hall offer inspiring examples of how architecture can honour the past, engage the present community, and build towards a sustainable future.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative was published on 11 September 2024, coinciding with the AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards ceremony. The earliest known publication date of similar content is 11 September 2024. The report is based on the awards ceremony, which is a time-sensitive event, justifying a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The content does not appear to be republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The report includes direct quotes from judges praising the project’s strong community engagement and the team’s efforts to enhance public access and inclusivity. These quotes are unique to this report and do not appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Architects’ Journal, a reputable UK-based publication known for its coverage of architectural news and events. This enhances the credibility of the report.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims made in the report are plausible and align with known facts about the AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards and Feix&Merlin Architects. The report provides specific details about the project, including the use of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and Glulam, and mentions the collaboration with developer General Projects and Southwark Council. These details are consistent with other reputable sources. The language and tone are appropriate for the region and topic, and the structure is focused on the main subject without excessive or off-topic detail.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from a reputable publication. The quotes are unique and the claims are plausible, with no significant credibility risks identified.
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