Kensington Asylum
 

Kensington - Sick Asylum - competition

The Asylum Board have purchased 6 acres of land at North End, from Captain Gunter, a plot in between the West London Railway and Beaufort House; and here it is proposed to build an asylum for 600 patients.

Six sets of designs have been sent in by the following architects. We add the amount of the estimate in each case where it is attached to the drawings.

Messrs Hunt and Steward £55,000

Mr Allom. ?

Mr Williams. £48,000

Messrs Nesfield and Shaw £45,000

Mr F.H.Powell £39,800

Messrs Giles and Biven £36,700

The design by Messrs Nesfield and Shaw has been selected, subject, we suppose, to the verification of the estimate. Of this, however, there is probably not very much to doubt, provided any of the other estimates be correct. It is very plain externally, and peculiar. The walls are of brick, the roofs of tiles, and in parts the walls of the upper story are faced with weather tiles. When we add that there are tall brick chimney-shafts and that the windows are filled with thick wooden sashes and small panes of glass, it will be seen that it presents a rural and almshouse like aspect, such as belongs to some buildings of the 17th century. We have no doubt that this will produce a very agreeable effect. The plan, too, appears to have been carefully studied. The wards are to be warmed by earthenware stoves in the middle of the floor, the flues from which pass up through the other floors. The position of the W.C.'s seems open to question.
Source: The Builder 1868 Vol XXVI 14th November 1868 p839
Submitted by Alan Longbottom

Page updated August 06, 2007 by Rossbret