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London’s private residential architecture recalls its enduring historical tradition. Built narrowly to save space for a growing metropolis, rows of Victorian and Georgian terraces line the streets with a sophisticated uniformity. While the clarity and neatness of this residential landscape may charm locals and foreigners alike, many Londoners are seeking out new opportunities for architectural individuality with their homes. The practice of adding contemporary extensions has become a popular trend for those wishing to create more space and add a modern flare to differentiate their homes. But while not as economical, some Londoners have the opportunity of commissioning or purchasing completely new designs.
Unlike their historical predecessors, these homes vary in styles, often exploring experimental shapes and materials and drawing upon foreign influences, such as Japanese architecture and Mies van der Rohe. This selection of homes displays a range of contemporary London residences, from stand-alone homes to penthouses and remodels.
The Makers House by Liddicoat & Goldhill, London, United Kingdom
The Makers House is a newly completed four bedroom villa by architects Liddicoat & Goldhill. It offers soaring, light-filled living spaces and a beautifully crafted interior. At ground floor and basement, a multi-level “broken plan” arrangement creates a variety of living spaces within a single volume. The west-facing lounge provides a formal space at a raised level which looks down onto the bespoke hand-built kitchen and dining area. The rear façade at ground level is constructed from three large pivoting glazed doors (two of them full-height), which open out to the courtyard garden.
The Makers House is so-called because of Liddicoat & Goldhill’s commitment to hand-assembled materials and the highest levels of detailing. For example, the various spaces on the upper floors are unified by a richly colored and durable Rhodesian mahogany parquet floor reclaimed from Hove Fire Station in the 1970s.
New Cross Lofts by Chan + Eayrs, London, United Kingdom
Chan + Eayrs is a home and lifestyle brand that creates architectural, curated residences, founded by architect-interior designers Zoe Chan and Merlin Eayrs. New Cross Lofts consists of two bespoke lofts and two work studios designed by the team at Chan and Eayrs. It focuses on bringing British vernacular architecture fused with the light and open volumes found in Japanese homes.
© Ed Reeve
Silverlight by Adjaye Associates, London, United Kingdom
Adjaye Associates designed this riverfront home in West London. David Adjaye explains the design: “The concept for this new-build home, located on a narrow strip of land between a busy road and the Grand Union canal in West London, developed as a careful response to the urban context. The main volume continues the parapet line of the Victorian pub to the east — a listed building — and the horizontal lines of the cladding system relate to the window heights of the older building at the edge of the site. Due to a high level of traffic noise, the north façade has very few openings, but avoids being dark and gloomy thanks to the aluminum cladding.”
Mews House in London by Frame, London, United Kingdom
This elegant redevelopment of a former industrial building is known as Imperial Club. It features a simple, monochrome façade of white glazed brick and black Crittall windows. The team behind the project is Frame, a design-led property group founded by architects Nick Mansour and Hugo Braddick.
Mews House 1 sits at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac terrace and has a large lateral living, kitchen and dining space on the ground floor with three bedrooms on the upper level. The master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and doors to a secluded roof garden. The proportions of the rooms and the palette of raw materials, particularly wood and steel, echo the building’s industrial past. The kitchens, made from quarter-sawn Douglas Fir, are designed to be concealed from the main space by large sliding doors.
London Penthouse by David Chipperfield Architects, London, United Kingdom
Designed by Stirling Prize-winning architect David Chipperfield, this three-bedroom penthouse offers extensive outdoor space, garage parking and ideal natural light. The design is influenced by Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House. The upper floor is a spectacular Miesian pavilion, almost 80 feet long and divided into a living area with glazing on three sides, a central kitchen/dining area, and a more formal reception room that can be screened off with sliding walls. The glazed doors of the reception slide back to reveal a south-facing roof terrace, which also wraps around the side of the space. Stairs lead up to a large roof terrace on top of the building, offering 360-degree panoramic views across London.
Belsize Townhouse by Adjaye Associates, London, United Kingdom
Occupying a beautifully quaint corner plot in the heart of London’s Belsize Village, this house immediately connects visitors with views to the garden through full-width windows upon entering the home. Originally built in 1970 to a design by the noted architect John Winter, it was refurbished by Jerry Taylor in 1995, then updated and extended by the internationally acclaimed practice Adjaye Associates in 2002.
Cheyne Walk Townhouse by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, London, United Kingdom
The Cheyne Walk home is designed by RIBA Award-winning Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, which is known for pioneering environmental expertize and its progressive architectural approach. Sustainable principles are embedded in the design, with materials and systems chosen to ensure a low impact.
Article updated by Hannah Feniak on January 27th, 2022.
Calling all architects, landscape architects and interior designers: Architizer's A+Awards allows firms of all sizes to showcase their practice and vie for the title of “World’s Best Architecture Firm.” Start an A+Firm Award Application today.
