THE VOYSEY STUDIO RESTORATION FUND
Home of the Hungarian Reformed Church in the United Kingdom
17 St Dunstans Road, London W6 8RD



C.F.A. Voysey's Studio built for the artist W.E.F. Britten in 1892
as it appears today.
Background
C.F.A. Voysey was one of the leading architects of the Arts and Craft Movement, in Britain during the late Nineteenth Century. This is one of his first and best buildings, designed in 1891 for the artist W.E.F.Britten. It is widely illustrated in all the important reference books on the period including Sir Nicholas Pevsner's 'Pioneers of the Modern Movement' (1936) in which it is described as being 'remarkably novel'. Alastair Service in his seminal 'Edwardian Architecture and its Origins' (1975) described the studio as 'A good example of Voysey's bold yet delicate simplicity' a key note to this great architect's works. So this is clearly a building to be cherished as part of our recent heritage.


The Studio as it appeared in Pevsner's 'Pioneers of the Modern Movement',
a photo thought to be taken before 1897.

We have the original design drawings which propose a large top lit studio and minimal living accommodation. However we know that before 1909 additional rooms were added together with dormer windows in the roof and french windows to the garden; and this is very much the way it remained until World War II when bomb damage resulted in for the replacement of the glass roof with asbestos. Meanwhile the building passed into the hands of the hands of the United reformed Church who in turn gave it to the Hungarian Reformed Church following the Hungerian uprising of 1956. Since then virtually no maintenance work has been carried out, the roof is leaking, and the building is now in very poor repair. Hence the need for this appeal 'The Voysey Studio Restoration Fund' to save this important building for our Architectural Heritage.


Click above illustration to see larger elevations and plans.

Proposals
We now plan to restore the building largely to its appearance in 1909 by restoring the glazed roof and repairing many original features. Some additional new facilities will be located internally for the use of the Church.; but generally the overall appearance will be much as Voysey left it. We are now inviting you to help fund this important project. So far we have raised £75,000 for the restoration of the roof only. Of this English Heritage has given £43,000 of Lottery Funds. But we need a further £100,000 for the overall project including renewing services, general restoration of the fabric and new facilities. The Hungarian Reformed Church has no more funds and is relying on the goodwill of the wider community to restore this Voysey gem. Tim Bruce-Dick, the architect for the project will be delighted to show you around the building, explain the proposed restoration including detailed costs, introduce you to the pastor and the Church Elders, and provide you with any further information you may need. We hope you will join us in helping to restore this important building.

Please make your cheques payable to:
'The Voysey Studio Restoration Fund',
c/o TBD Architects,
114 Albert Street,
London NW1 7NE.
Tel 020 7485 8976
www.tbdarchitects.co.uk/voyseystudio.html


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