Harper Street

Harper Street reclaimed

Client
Re-Form Heritage
Status
Completed 2022
Sector
Community
Heritage
Service
Architecture
Aerial view of a historic red-brick industrial complex with rows of terraced houses in the foreground, a large mill building with a tall chimney in the center, and surrounding greenery and residential areas in the background. Several cars are parked along the streets and in a fenced parking lot.

Visit Middleport Pottery and you will find Harper Street, a typical terraced street that was once home to workers from the area's industrial potteries. Now home to a heritage attraction, enterprise units, and the Middleport Matters community trust, the street was restored and adapted by Buttress for Re-Form to complement the Middleport offer.

 

Street-level view of a corner red-brick building with pitched roof and chimneys, part of a row of terraced houses. A brick wall encloses a courtyard area. People are walking and cycling along the pavement. A signboard near the entrance reads “Middleport Pottery.”

A place for the community

Working with Re-Form Heritage and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the scheme has transformed a row of eleven dilapidated Victorian terraced houses into a vibrant new destination.

The restored lodge keeper’s house offers an immersive glimpse into domestic life in the 1920s and 1930s, and a new Collections Research Centre provides a purpose-designed space for Middleport’s growing archive, which includes the world’s largest known collection of Burleighware.

Seven affordable enterprise units support creative businesses and build on the existing community of makers already operating from Middleport. A dedicated hub, managed by local community trust Middleport Matters, offers space for events, clubs and activities, ensuring Harper Street remains rooted in everyday life.

Close-up of two adjoining red-brick buildings: terraced houses on the left and a larger industrial building on the right. The industrial building features large multi-pane windows and two vertical panels with blue-and-white floral designs. A skylight is visible on the roof.
Top-down aerial view of a rectangular block of terraced houses with pitched roofs and chimneys. A courtyard with modern metal-roofed structures runs along the back, and cars are parked on surrounding streets and in a nearby lot.

The big idea

In remodelling the terraces for new uses, we needed to create a variety of spaces: large volumes to create the archive, modern offices for staff, a cluster of new maker units that collectively create a destination within the Middleport heritage trail, and a restored and interpreted historic terraced home.

We retained the philosophy of the recently opened Middleport Pottery, presenting the site as found in the 1950s, and recognised the importance of the terraced ‘backs’ where life and interaction happened on the street.

The original scullery kitchens were removed and new makers units built to the edge of the back yards. The now reversed terraced houses are accessed from a new communal ‘back’ that reflects the original dynamics and gives tenants opportunities to connect and have their own shopfronts.

a dilapidated row of terraced houses
a hand drawn sketch of an aerial view of a terraced street
A CGI cross section through a terraced house and maker unit in the back yard
Street-level view of a corner red-brick building labeled “Harper Street” on the window, with adjoining terraced houses extending into the distance. The road is empty, and the industrial building with patterned panels is visible in the background.

Retrofit and restoration

The long boarded-up terraced houses were restored. External facings and cladding were removed, and a new shopfront was created for Middleport Matters Community Trust. Supporting the significance of the conservation area, all houses were fitted with new timber sash windows. These have been painted with the Middleport estate brown, identifying the street’s connection to the pottery. Irregularities and signs of age were left intact, and the ghost marks of the original scullery kitchens were left to signpost the original forms and purposeful change.

A strategy for reducing carbon in the restored terrace and new units considers the various uses and requirements for collections care and user comfort. Where heated spaces are required, additional insulation and improved airtightness improve the historic fabric performance. This holistic approach enables both the heritage and new spaces to be efficiently heated using air-source heat pumps, supporting long-term sustainability without compromising the integrity of the architecture.

Harper Street is a scheme fully embedded in place. It’s a reminder that restoration is not just about preserving the past, it’s about creating spaces that grow into their purpose and serve the communities they belong to.
Neal Charlton, Director, Buttress
the end house of a brick terraced row
Row of terraced red-brick houses with pitched roofs and multiple chimneys, captured in angled sunlight. In the background, a larger industrial building with blue-and-white patterned panels and a skylight is partially visible.
two ladies stand outside their shops on harper street
Close-up of two adjoining red-brick buildings: terraced houses on the left and a larger industrial building on the right. The industrial building features large multi-pane windows and two vertical panels with blue-and-white floral designs. A skylight is visible on the roof.

Image credits

© Gavn Stewart

Meet our team
Headshot of Neal Charlton. A man wearing glasses and a purple shirt and blazer.
Director

Neal Charlton

Headshot of Samantha Knights. A woman smiling, wearing a blue scarf.
Senior Architect

Samantha Knights