A new single storey 2 bedroom ‘urban cabin’ on a tight corner : The irregular shaped site slots in-between the end of two terraces: 3 post-war ex council houses running north south and Victorian houses running east west. The site had previously been used as a car workshop and more recently for car parking.
The Planners ruled out both a two storey building (because it would visually close up the gap between the terraces) and building at the back of the site (which would have involved building on an existing garden). The design solution was to build a single storey building between the flank walls of the two terraces. The perimeter walls to the garden have been cranked and expressed as independent planes separated by timber screen walls to allow the windows to bedrooms to face south into the gardens and to minimise overlooking into neighbouring properties.
A brick path leads to the front door and into a hall with an exposed brick wall defining the internal southern boundary to the house. The accommodation is arranged with the kitchen/dining/living area facing the street at the front and the decked garden to the rear.
Bedrooms and bathrooms are linked by an internal corridor naturally lit with a series of large roof lights. The floors are tiled throughout; the size of the tiles changing to create a varied rhythm moving between spaces. Heating is under floor and a wood burning stove acts as a focal point for the living area.
The house has been deliberately and robustly crafted; the walls are handmade brick, doors and windows are bespoke cedar with cedar cladding internally and externally. Internal joinery helps to maximise the usable space. Exposed sawn timber joists over main areas are painted grey and the ceilings to circulation and service areas are smooth and white.
Main light fittings are vintage Danish.
The roof is a bio-diverse green roof planted with wild flowers. A storage basement is accessed via a ladder stair off the living room and is lined in cedar faced plywood.
The house has been designed to achieve high passive standards of heating, insulation and ventilation and achieves CfSH level 4.
The project was completed in January 2014.
We have recently converted and refurbished the adjoining houses to the south and the new building shares similar external design details. The back of the new house connects to the garden of a house we built in 2000.