Rose Court, London

Architect	Cullinan Studio
Date Built	2000 - 2009
Location	Clink Street
Description
I assume that Edward Cullinan's Rose Court development on Clink Street in Southwark gets its name from the 14th Century rose window set in the neighbouring medieval wall. The wall is a remnant of the Great Hall of a palace that belonged to the powerful Bishops of Winchester. English heritage describe the former palace as one of the largest and most important buildings in medieval London, adding that James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort held their wedding feast here in 1424. Cullinan's website says that their mixed use development, "... engages directly with the historic fabric of the townscape enriching this historic relationship. The development aims to reinforce the increasing vitality of the area by accommodating restaurants and retail areas at ground level with residential apartments above." Kenneth Powell, in his book 21st Century London, adds that, "... This project exemplifies Cullinan's contextual modernism, sensitive to place and history but entirely lacking in needless sentimentality."