The site was once occupied by a plaster moulding workshop and storage shed and designated as industrial land. This was demolished in 2004. Planning permission for domestic use was obtained in 2006, and for the building in 2008. The recession held up development until November 2009.

The building plot sits between the gardens of 2 parallel victorian street terraces abutting 10 adjacent gardens with aspect across the rear gardens of the properties. The street contains a variety of early Victorian terraces and semi detached properties of varying heights and typologies, but with a unified dignity familar to south London streets. The language to the rear of the properties is more historic in character, less affected by overcladding or refurbishment - a ribbon of brick facades punctuated by sash windows. Brick garden walls define each plot with each displaying the occupants personality from ornate gardens to concrete terraces and clothes lines like a series of stage sets.

The site is accessed via a 2.5m parting in the street between 2 semi-detached properties, once forming an access road to the industrial yard. The site is bounded by the remains of the industrial workshop - a 3m high wall to the east side, brick garden walls to the other bounding properties to north and west and a Victorian studio building to the south.

The building is orientated to the north of the site creating a large courtyard to the south through which you pass when approaching the building. Sufficient space is left on the north side to accomodate a smaller private terrace.
The building is thus orientated at 90degrees to the Victorian dwellings fully spanning the plot and looking across the expanse of surrounding gardens. The views and light levels are maximised with fully glazed facades to the north and south. Of course this decision did not avoid issues of party boundaries for which an excellent surveyor was employed. The east and west flank walls are seen as an extrusion of the original garden walls with the north and south elevations intending to be as light as possible forming a portal across the gardens.

The plan is compact, generated in response to the site constraints spatially and with due regard to planning policy. An open plan ground floor connects the front courtyard to the rear terrace. The hard surfaces to these courtyard spaces are precise imprints of the windows on elevation as if the apertures were cut and laid out horizontally onto the landscape. The intention is that both courtyards will be heavily planted and animated by ornamental trees.

The deep plan is top lit by a central void with clear and unobstructed views of the sky. All of the rooms are linked to the void. In terms of approach, we were interested in maintaining the materiality and animation of the direct context and did not want the building to disconnect with its surroundings. Brick was the instinctive choice of finish both interally and externally. The exposed brick internally is intended to be read against the context beyond - to extend the outside in.

The detailing of the windows also takes reference from the nearby Victorian terraces. The windows are edged with brass externally intended to contrast the brick as precise insertions punctuating the facade. They are precisely detailed to brick dimensions. All the usual articulation to facades are cast aside for flush details. The roof coping and the window cills are made of brick and set flush. The facade is a simple language of brick and window with subtle details which are revealed through closer inspection.

A dark redish pink facing brick with flush joints attempts to soften to a domestic setting internally and also keeps the reading of the brick externally animated only by the colour differentials.

A flesh coloured bathroom offers immediate camouflage to an otherwise expose moment (although curtains will be introduced), emphasing a language particular to that experience. It is also intended to be humorous in its obvious transition from the raw surroundings and materials to polished surfaces.

All the components that serve to assist domestic activities are brass - basin taps and bespoke door handles hinting at more tradional Victorian fittings, but most importantly marking the intention for the building to bcome animated by use. Oak joinery and flooring adds another layer of familiarity and robustness. The building is intended to offer a domestic experience mixing a warm palette of timber and brass with brick, whilst allowing furniture to be added unselfconsciously.

The intention is that the building is contextual, practical but contains domestic qualities congruous with urban living.