The redevelopment of Bush House at King’s College London centres on the East Courtyard, with each surrounding entrance marked by elegant stone-carved lettering set into the entrance bulkhead. One key threshold, connecting the North and South Wing buildings, lacked this historic feature and required a sensitive intervention that could sit comfortably alongside the existing fabric.

As part of the wider wayfinding and signage strategy, we worked closely with Atelier Works to develop a solution that reinstated this architectural language. The intent was to create a new entrance sign that felt integral to the building, referencing the craftsmanship, proportion, and character of the original carved inscriptions found elsewhere around the courtyard.

To achieve this, we assisted in developing the new lettering by carefully tracing the pre-existing stone-carved text at the surrounding North East and South East Wing entrances. These rubbings were then digitised and adapted to form the required wording — South Wing / North Wing — ensuring continuity in typographic style and scale.

To translate the digital drawings back into the building fabric, we collaborated with specialist signwriter Philip Surey, a long-standing collaborator with experience on heritage and cultural projects including Tate Britain and Vajrasana Retreat Centre. The lettering was hand-drawn in situ before being carefully chiselled into the stone using a consistent V-cut technique. Each letter was then hand-painted in masonry paint to match the surrounding entrances, ensuring visual continuity across the courtyard.

As a Grade II* listed building, Bush House required both planning approval and listed building consent. We managed and facilitated this process, coordinating closely with the relevant authorities to secure approvals and ensure the work was carried out with appropriate sensitivity to the building’s historic significance.

The completed intervention reinstates a missing moment within the architectural sequence of the courtyard, demonstrating how careful research, craft-led making, and technical coordination can support subtle but meaningful additions to historic buildings.