It was both time to bounce ship or to reinvent their north London townhouse. Immediately after practically 40 a long time of dwelling below the very same leaky roof, Russell Vandyk and Alan Martin Working day, the two retired, daringly selected the latter. The couple hired Studio Ben Allen to add a two-story extension on to the again of their terraced Victorian. The ask arrived with a reward every structure workforce longs for: they were being inspired, claims Allen, to “use the undertaking as a testbed for suggestions.”
In reaction, the architects, led by Allen and Omar Ghazal, took the opportunity to “push the boundaries of off-web site fabrication, anything we felt was missing in compact-scale household initiatives.” Precisely, they used prefabricated pigmented concrete on the two the exterior and inside, as structural elements that are also decorative many thanks to Studio Allen’s bold use of shade and curves. The addition now properties a double-top new skylit kitchen with a mezzanine that connects to the current primary stair and leads to a incredibly memorable new bath. And there is a lot more: Vandyk and Working day in essence acquired an solely new dwelling that still retains highlights of the original—and has gained a ton of appreciation from the Uk style community. Dubbed The Residence Recast, the remodel was named “best new dwelling improvement project” of 2021 in the NLA’s yearly “Don’t Go, Make improvements to!” contest. Sign up for us for a tour.
“There applied to be a smaller galley kitchen with only a person window and a eating desk squidged up in opposition to it, and the garden was just a scrappy bit of land,” Vandyk instructed The Contemporary Residence. “It’s not as if we were being indifferent or sloppy,” extra Day. “The household just was not really at the middle of our universe. When we had been young, we experienced unique priorities. A lot of our everyday living was outdoors. Now, it’s about property comforts.”
Of late, there is been a lot of problem in the design environment about the large-carbon price tag of making concrete. Eco-friendlier versions—aka “green concrete”—are now surfacing, but Allen suggests that this project unfortunately predated the current dialogue.
The style was inspired by architect Omar Ghazal’s Jordanian heritage, and by Middle Japanese references in Victorian architecture, such as at Leighton House, the Holland Park home of painter Sir Frederic Leighton.
“Alan’s argument was, if we restrict them, we’re not heading to finish up with anything at all very intriguing,” Vandyk commented to The Modern-day Property. Added Working day: “There was a pretty near collaboration in the consultations, but we hardly ever challenged anything…We’re so joyful that we didn’t get started tutting and declaring no…We have the sensation of rootedness simply because we’ve been listed here considering the fact that 1980, and nonetheless anything so imaginative has been done.” For a lot more, watch the NLA’s Never Move, Make improvements to! movie on the venture.