London school conversions: four classy examples

Paul Travers

London school conversions hold a special place in the heart of a particular kind of loft lover – the sort that wants light and height above all else.

A completely different offering from the narrow cobbled lanes of warehouse buildings, schools have space around them from their former playgrounds and often a leafy residential position among streets of Victorian and Georgian family homes.

So let’s take a closer look at these four educational examples of London school conversions

Borough

With its distinctive gothic spire, Tabard Centre is something of an SE1 hidden gem and has an active residents community along with a share in the freehold.

This apartment stretches out to almost 1,700 sq ft and has a sitting room and a huge open-plan living space and dining kitchen on the lower level, and two mezzanine bedrooms upstairs. The location is perfect for a life of variety, well placed for a wander to both Borough and Maltby Street Markets, Bermondsey Street, Tate Modern and Tower Bridge.

£1,400,000 – click here for the image gallery and plans

Battersea

One of Battersea’s pioneering school conversions that kicked off the whole trend, The Village is full of sublime, oversized and double-height spaces that capture the spirit of authentic loft living.

At 2,073 sq ft, this two-bedroom first-floor duplex has a massive open-plan living room with a wall of tall school windows, while both bedrooms feel like they’re almost floating in light with their clever glazed screens.

£1,500,000 – click here for the image gallery and plans

Brixton

Built as a Victorian Sunday school, this wonderful building in Brixton is now a mews of seven unique houses. This one is the largest and covers 1,962 sq ft across four floors including four double bedrooms and three bathrooms, two of which are en-suite.

The interior is an education in modern industrial gothic style, pairing sharp contemporary fittings with black metalwork. For a background, think grit-blasted brickwork, vaulted bedrooms and high ceilings for top marks all round!

£1,150,000 – click here for the image gallery and plans

Islington

Opposite the Rosemary Gardens pocket park and just along the street from the Regent’s Canal, Chaplin House was converted in the mid-2000s from the former Shepperton Road School in Islington.

This first-floor duplex covers 758 sq ft. On the lower level are the double-height living room and a bedroom/workspace. Upstairs you’ll find the main bedroom and bathroom. The apartment also has a valuable off-street parking space.