Eldridge London's Cor-Ten House is an exercise in delivering a finely resolved, highly detailed home, on a typical suburban site, whilst pursuing an experimental form and extensive off-site fabrication. The design could be considered prototypical, yet it is also highly tuned to the specific client?s brief and personality.
Familiar traditional architectural elements: bay windows, dormer windows, pitched roof, are given a distinctive contemporary twist through the use of flush structural glazing which sits within a structural skin of Cor-Ten. The Cor-Ten colour references the red brick of adjacent properties, and provides a low-maintenance external envelope. The glass is all treated with a hydrophilic coating so that the natural oxidisation of the CorTen simply washes off the surface and is drained away by ground level slot drains.
The Cor-Ten was pre-fabricated in large panels and erected rapidly on site with joints fully welded and ground flush. Glazing is silicone bonded into concealed framework to maintain a flush exterior, whilst also providing flexible joints for expansion along with a genuinely air tight building envelope. The metal exterior encases an interior of extensive timber panelling, detailed to incorporate cupboards, lights, ventilation, smoke detection, sockets, switches, and concealed picture rails. A plywood staircase rises the full height of the house and is given added drama by glass landings at each level.
The detached house provides extensive naturally lit accommodation on a narrow plot. A basement office connects to a rear sunken courtyard ensuring that light is maintained throughout. The open plan ground floor wraps around this courtyard providing privacy, with a glazed link passage connecting to a garden living space which becomes dual aspect. A flexible 1st floor provides two bedrooms each with ensuite, whilst the open plan master suite features structurally glazed dormer windows, which offer panoramic views of the London skyline.
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