The sensitive restoration and enhancement project has successfully brought two historic vacant flats at Norfolk Street, located in the Laurieston area of Glasgow, back into use, providing high-quality social housing for the local community while preserving the building’s historic character.

This initiative is part of NGHA’s broader commitment to the regeneration of the Gorbals and Laurieston areas, where it has worked tirelessly to create a thriving, inclusive community. The newly retrofitted flats are now ready to welcome tenants, providing them with a safe, comfortable, and energy-efficient place to call home.

John Gilbert Architects were supported in the delivery of the project by Brown and Wallace and Narro, with the works being carried out by Procast.  A key focus of the Norfolk Street Retrofit project was to achieve significant energy efficiency improvements while carefully preserving the building’s heritage features, including internal plasterwork and timber panelling.

Extensive surveys were conducted to assess the condition of the vacant flats and document surviving heritage elements, guiding the retrofit and conservation work. The project followed the conservation principles outlined in the ICOMOS Charters and Historic Environment Scotland’s latest guidance on retrofitting traditional buildings, ensuring that all design decisions were made with respect to the building’s historic fabric.

One of the standout achievements of the project is the use of sustainable, natural materials such as wood fibre insulation, lime plaster, and low-VOC breathable paints. These materials not only contribute to the flats’ energy efficiency but also promote a healthy living environment for tenants. The design also prioritised accessibility, with layouts and finishes chosen to ensure that the flats are suitable for people with vision and mobility impairments. Innovative approaches here included the use of blown insulation behind lath and plaster, as well as the sensitive installation of wood fibre behind retained timber panelling.

Fraser Stewart, director at New Gorbals Housing Association, said: “Thanks to a successful partnership with John Gilbert Architects, the Norfolk Street Retrofit project has allowed us to bring two vacant flats up to modern standards, help to address the city-wide and local shortage of social housing, and contribute to the ongoing regeneration of the Laurieston area.”