Ogle Drive

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modern buff bungalow with dark window panes and door — © DW Commercial Photography

Case Study

Ogle Drive

Based in the park estate near Nottingham Castle, the renovation of Nottingham Mews House benefits the homeowner and the wider community, by improving its energy efficiency and reconstructing the front facade using Wienerberger's Marziale bricks.

Architects chose Wienerberger’s Marziale brick for this small but challenging project. This home featured in Channel 4’s popular renovation series ‘Ugly House To Lovely House’ presented by George Clarke.

The park estate was built in the mid-19th century in the heart of Nottingham as a series of large detached villas and mews houses.

The client bought the property for its idyllic location at the foot of the castle hill, rather than for its appearance which was unappealing even to the untrained eye. The original shell of the 1980’s construction was of a poor standard and used inappropriate materials that clashed with the area’s aesthetic and Victorian heritage.

Therefore, the client wanted to upgrade the existing fabrics to improve energy efficiency and complement the local vernacular, ensuring a real appreciation of the property from future generations.

Modern garden with decking and brick wall with large plants

The house sits at the end of a wall that extends from the caves under the castle, each section reflecting a new stage of evolution that becomes richer and more refined as it moves closer to the park.

The project uses Wienerberger’s Marziale brick to replace the original external skin. The crafted brick wall incorporates pattern, brick projection and proportion to create a new decorative façade, bringing with it the natural durability, efficiency, and longevity of clay.

The renewal of the front facade was driven by both aesthetic perception and energy performance. Once the external brick was removed, the poor state of the original construction was revealed in full. The building had no insulation and the internal skin of thermalite blocks were cracked.

The new brickwork creates a sense of materiality, proportion and decoration. It harmonises with the surrounding context whilst also improving the energy performance of the house through the insertion of insulation.

The entrance is recessed into the facade to create a sense of depth and solidity. At first floor level the street facade wall becomes a filigree brick screen through which sunlight forms dappled patterns on the roof terrace.