Project: Fair Street, London

Client: Engie

Fair Street is situated in South East London in Southwark.

Devon Mansions comprises five separate, six-storey mansion blocks, all built in a near identical style. Blocks 14-21 have pitched roofs, whereas blocks 1-13 have flat roofs.

The buildings are of yellow brick, with a repetitive pattern of domestic scale sash windows organised within a simple arrangement of string courses and cornices, providing balancing vertical elements with splayed windows and stone quoins. Interest at street level comes from street railings that protect half basements and the main entrances to the buildings.

On 29 December 1940, in one of the most devastating bombing raids of the Blitz, German planes attacked the City of London with incendiaries and high-explosive bombs, causing what has been called The Second Great Fire of London.

During this raid, a high explosive bomb landed on Building 3 of Devon Mansions, destroying a 20-metre section of the building between Blocks 12 and 13. According to the Civilian War Dead Register of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, three residents were killed by the blast.

The damaged section was repaired in full in 1950 – however it is still possible to see the site of the bomb impact, as the brick used to repair the building is of slightly darker colour than its surroundings. A plaque also commemorating the event is also visible at street level. 

Scope of works:

• Survey and restoration to eight blocks including specialist cleaning, stucco and stone restoration