Case Studies

House in a Garden

Nestled behind a townhouse dating back to the 1840s, in the built up world of West London lies a home unlike any other.
Aptly named the House in a Garden -for it sits in the middle of a garden- this extraordinary residence is the product of eight years of vision, design, patience and innovation. What was once a rather unremarkable bungalow has been boldly reimagined into a home that sits partly below ground, a unique dwelling that intriguingly fuses bold architectural ambitions with natural light, material beauty and the seamless integration of glass. Here’s how it was done.

Type

Residential, Urban

When

2018

The Challenge

Transforming such a small urban site was never going to be straightforward, but after years of overlooking the modest, characterless bungalow, the architect got to work at making the most of its Central London potential. The plot itself held its own constraints: tightly enclosed on most sides, north facing and hemmed in by much taller neighbours. The solution, as is frequently the case in London, was to build vertically, but in such a location, this had to mean down instead of up. The greatest challenge, therefore, would be how to introduce daylight into a home with a depth of eight metres, especially in winter, when the sun only reached the site at specific points.

In order to resolve this, the architect undertook a forensic analysis of the paths of the sun, using state of the art digital daylight modeling tools and software to optimise how light could penetrate – and thus illuminate – the rooms below. Precision, patience and innovation were all needed in abundance for such an undertaking, and glass would be needed to carry the light in.

The Vision

Aside from the issue of light, the project was ambitious from the get go. To replace the current bungalow with a home that celebrated form and artisan craftsmanship, as well as the movement of light. The new dwelling was to span approximately 2,700 square feet, arranged across two subterranean levels and a ground floor living and dining area. This was to be topped with a sweeping spruce glulam timber roof, which was clad externally in strips of copper. This double curved roof was fabricated in the Dolomites before being shipped to England and craned into place in eight separate sections. Each timber pierce of the structure is utterly unique, coming together in a tent-like canopy, crowned at its pinnacle with a Cantifix fixed rooflight.

Inside, the underside of the roof is left exposed, forming a captivating sculptural ceiling that draws your attention upwards. In this room, continuity is key: copper cabinets, splashbacks and taps all echo the copper roof outside. From here, a suspended timber staircase leads secretly down to the private quarters, where a greenery-filled light well exposes the rooms to daylight. This then features another rooflight in its floor, ensuring that light passed through to every level, connecting them all to the natural world, no matter their depth.

The house was initially designed as a hidden retreat, in spite of the eye-catching roof. It is accessed via a narrow passage and sits in contrast to its typical urban London neighbours. Whereas on the street there is bustle and business, inside this home is a calm and atmospheric utopia, with warm douglas fir wood and copper surfaces balancing against the cooler tones of marble and grey stone.

The Glass

With the careful introduction of light, there would be nowhere for it to go without glass to aid in its travels. It is not an understatement to say that glass was central to this project, both structurally and experientially. Cantifix was on hand to provide the frameless glazing that supports the floating roof, enabling it to appear weightless.

Sky-Frame classic sliding doors (Featuring 6mm low iron toughened, with a low-E coating), and power operated sliding windows effectively do away with some of the wall, by opening up the living area seamlessly to the garden, dissolving the boundary between the inner and outer spaces.

The lightwell at the centre of the home is also an asset for bathing the home in life giving natural light. Enclosed with fixed frameless glass walls, it acts as a vertical shaft of greenery and light, channelling it down to every level. At its base sits a rooflight that illuminates a 10-metre swimming pool, turning water and glass into a dramatic display of reflection and light.

Here, glass is used as so much more than a mere building material: it is a conduit for openness, atmosphere and connection. Advanced glazing by Cantifix and analysis tools used by the architect ensured that every pane delivered in its role, with optimal clarity, allowing the occupants to experience a sense of openness, even when underground.

The Results

This is one of those projects where the imagery speaks for itself, and this is stunningly captured by award winning architectural photographer Edmund Sumner.

House in a Garden somehow manages to feel both hidden and expansive, intimate but uplifting. From the roadside, the copper-clad roof rises like a piece of sculptural art but it does not shout about the dwelling hidden within. Inside, daylight filters throughout, thanks to carefully placed and designed walls and rooflights, reflecting back on consciously chosen tactile surfaces. It all feels so effortless and belays the challenges put into it. Despite its subterranean natures, this is a house that feels full of light and air.

But it wasn’t just us that thought so. House in a Garden went on to be widely recognised and awarded in the Architectural community upon completion:

It won the RIBA London Award in 2019.
It was longlisted for the Riba House of the Year and shortlisted for the AR House Award in the same year.
It was awarded the AZ Awards Best Single Family House 2019.
It won the ArchDaily Building of the Year 2019 for Best Applied Products and the Wood Award 2019.

This was along with numerous other commendations and shortlisted events in 2018 and 2019.

All of this would not have been possible without the vision of the architect, Gianni Botsford and his design team. The accolades only serve to reflect back the boldness of the design and the success of its technical execution, in turning a difficult plot into an inspiring, tranquil family home.