Front view of the house.

Architecture/Interiors: Architecture for London
Photographer: Christian Brailey
Structural Engineer: CAR Ltd
Art: kaijabulbrook

About Studio

Our aim is to improve people’s lives by reimagining the places in which we live and work. The studio is a collaborative team of architects, and landscape and interior designers. We work at all scales, from furniture to bespoke private homes and commercial developments. We are an RIBA Chartered Practice based in London.

Environmental impact is a key consideration in our work. We take a research-based, fabric-first approach to sustainability that carefully considers the embodied energy of materials and the performance of our buildings in use. Director and architect Ben Ridley is a Passivhaus designer.

A dramatic vertical space was created by reconfiguring and extending this mid-terrace Victorian house in Brook Green.
A dramatic vertical space was created by reconfiguring and extending this mid-terrace Victorian house in Brook Green.
The house has a concrete materials and a combinaton of wooden structure.
The house has a concrete material and a combination of a wooden structure.
The living space has bright features due to the natural light from outside.
The living space has bright features due to the natural light from the outside.
The ground was lifted and an opening appeared on the floor.
The ground was lifted and an opening appeared on the floor.
The dining room and kitchen are located below the reception areas and are connected by the house's entrance.
The dining room and kitchen are located below the reception areas and are connected by the house’s entrance.
The color scheme gives the kitchen dazzling elements.
The color scheme gives the kitchen dazzling elements.
It has hardwood cabinets with elements that are aesthetically pleasing.
It has hardwood cabinets with elements that are aesthetically pleasing.
As shown in the photo, it contains a mix of concrete and timber constructions.
As shown in the photo, it contains a mix of concrete and timber constructions.
This double-height volume is traversed by a new Douglas fir staircase.
This double-height volume is traversed by a new Douglas fir staircase.
The precast concrete work surface includes the bottom three steps.
The precast concrete work surface includes the bottom three steps.
You can see the painting and the minimalist light as you go up to the second floor.
You can see the painting and the minimalist light as you go up to the second floor.
The choice of materials was deliberate in order to produce bright spaces and a sense of coziness throughout.
The choice of materials was deliberate in order to produce bright spaces and a sense of coziness throughout.
The cold grey hues of polished concrete work surfaces and natural stone tiles stand in stark contrast to the greens.
The cold grey hues of polished concrete work surfaces and natural stone tiles stand in stark contrast to the greens.
Doors and floors made of Douglas fir were soap-washed.
Doors and floors made of Douglas fir were soap-washed.

This mid-terrace Victorian house in Brook Green was reconfigured and extended to create a dramatic vertical space. An opening was formed on the floor at raised ground level, connecting the reception rooms with the kitchen and dining room below. A new douglas fir stair descends through this double-height volume, and the lowest three steps form part of the precast concrete work surface.

At raised ground floor the rear elevation is opened out entirely, with a glass box extension that overlooks the garden and floods the double-height space with natural light. The extension at the lower ground floor is finished with a natural Portland Roach stone with fossilized fragments. The stone continues to form the surface of the patio, which is accessed from the kitchen via a bespoke douglas fir framed sliding door.

A lens-like projection tops the building in the form of a dormer to the rear of the property. Here, large expanses of glazing allow far-reaching views from the loft space. The material palette was carefully chosen to create a sense of warmth and provide bright spaces throughout.

Soap-washed douglas fir floors and doors were supplied by a specialist firm in Denmark, these contrast with the cool grey tones of polished concrete work surfaces and natural stone tiles. Thresholds between rooms are highlighted with Carrara marble and brass accents.

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