Situated in a secluded location in London, this project presented Wish Architects with the challenge of designing a very private home in a small footprint area, whilst adhering to strict local planning policies and maintaining a low-level maximum height which meant... The only way is down.
Wish Architects came up with a solution to excavate a large portion of the home into a basement level in order to keep the maximum height of the dwelling low, giving the illusion of a single-storey dwelling when viewed from the streetscape. This solution would prevent neighbours from being overlooked along with their daylight not being affected as a result of potential overshadowing, had we designed upwards instead.
In designing this home, we wanted to take an in-keeping approach while also creating a juxtaposition between a cold exterior and warm interior. To achieve this, we employed a contemporary design for the exterior, with a focus on clean lines and a minimalistic aesthetic.
Inside, we wanted to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, with the kitchen designed to look as though it was born out of the land. One of the main challenges we faced was the small footprint of the home so we took care to design the space in a practical and functional manner, with the bedroom located on the ground floor and the kitchen sunk down to the basement level. This meant the home could open out towards the garden for pleasant evenings in, along with the users of the kitchen benefitting from the passive ventilation through the multi-slide patio doors.
To add to the sense of privacy and intimacy, we created an enclosed garden space and included escape staircases designed in the same language as the façade so as not to take away from the appeal of the home.
This project required careful consideration and attention to detail in order to create a home that was both aesthetically pleasing and practical for the client. Wish Architects are pleased with the final result, which successfully combines a contemporary exterior with a warm and inviting interior as required by the client in their brief.
