Szczepaniak Astridge focuses London loft extension on timber bath

In the competitive London property market, while square footage has traditionally been a primary concern for buyers, there's a growing trend towards valuing cubic feet, specifically double or triple-height ceilings. Property experts note that ceiling height has become a crucial factor, with "How high are the ceilings?" now a common initial question from prospective buyers, indicating that a standard 2.6m ceiling is no longer considered sufficient. This shift is particularly evident in London, where properties often lack the expansive views found in cities like New York or Hong Kong, making high ceilings essential for creating an illusion of light and space. Beyond aesthetics, there are practical advantages to these voluminous spaces. Matthew Creed of Khalil & Kane highlights that many high-end buyers are art collectors who require ample vertical space to display large art pieces effectively. He also points out that the ground floor of traditional stucco-fronted London homes commands a premium of 30 to 50 percent due to their extra height. The article showcases several London properties that exemplify this trend. Hewer Street, North Kensington, features a triple-height living area and kitchen in a former Victorian dairy, designed by Theo Otten, which enhances light and drama. In Covent Garden, a four-bedroom townhouse modernized by Form Architecture includes a soaring, double-height seating area within a 30ft kitchen, extending to a terrace. A two-bedroom home in Battersea Park Road boasts a double-height living area and a skylight for abundant natural light. An apartment in Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, transformed by architect Paul Fineberg, offers a double-height ceiling and windows on all sides. Furthermore, a vast loft for rent on Shoreditch High Street, located in a former warehouse, is designed with "zero bedrooms" and two "sleeping decks" to maximize the open, high-ceilinged space. The appeal of double-height spaces extends beyond art collectors. Creative professionals, such as photographers and musicians, are drawn to these properties, particularly in areas like Shoreditch and Bermondsey, for their ample light and space, which accommodates their work and lifestyle. Stephanie Lieu from Urban Spaces, an agency specializing in industrial conversions, notes that these buyers seek something beyond typical two-story homes and often resist adding mezzanines or extra floors that would diminish the prized height. Even in older properties undergoing basement excavations, developers are recognizing the importance of increased ceiling heights. Matthew Morton-Smith from Savills explains that a voluminous and well-lit basement creates a more impressive and less claustrophobic feel. Ultimately, while double-height spaces might offer less traditional living area, their primary advantage lies in the dramatic visual impact and enhanced sense of grandeur they provide. #DoubleHeightSpaces #LondonProperty #ArchitecturalTrends #LuxuryRealEstate #InteriorDesign #UrbanLiving #PropertyVision #CreativeSpaces

Eastwest Architecture has designed a garden studio gym for a house in Walthamstow Village, London, addressing the lack of local fitness facilities. The project resulted in a contemporary interpretation of a garden shed, serving as a private workout space in the rear yard. The architects faced several restrictions, including permitted development regulations and a limited footprint within the garden. To accommodate height restrictions, the team lowered the ground floor by excavating the area, as there are no specific policies regarding digging. The project operated within a limited budget, which influenced the choice of materials. A concrete base and a timber frame with modular qualities were selected, providing a simple palette of four materials for both the exterior and interior. The exterior of the garden studio gym is clad in burnt cedar timber, supplied by Shou Sugi Ban, a choice that adds to its contemporary aesthetic. A strategically placed opening on the right side allows natural daylight to enter the space, and a glass return lifts the corner of the studio, reducing its visual bulk and integrating it more seamlessly with the garden steps. Inside, the studio walls are finished with staggered panels of birch ply, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The flooring consists of a black rubber material, suitable for a gym environment. The interior ambiance is further enhanced by yellow lighting, which provides a warm glow that contrasts with the dark exterior. This design choice aims to motivate the homeowners to use the space, even on cold winter mornings. Attention to detail was crucial in the design, with features such as a discreet door lintel and a hidden connection for a punch bag. These thoughtful elements allow the garden gym studio to be easily repurposed for various activities, including a calming yoga room or a dedicated workspace, demonstrating the multifunctional nature of the design. A frameless, full-height mirror covers the main wall, visually expanding the space and serving a practical purpose for workout sessions. Key project details include Eastwest Architecture as the architect and Ramboll as the structural engineer. The burnt cedar timber cladding was sourced from Shou Sugi Ban. This project exemplifies how architectural ingenuity can overcome site limitations and budget constraints to create a functional, aesthetically pleasing, and adaptable space that meets specific client needs within a residential setting. #GardenStudio #HomeGym #EastwestArchitecture #LondonArchitecture #TimberCladding #ShouSugiBan #SmallSpaceDesign #MultifunctionalSpace

The article details the redesign of an 18th-century farmhouse in Lumberton, transforming it to accommodate modern living while honoring its historical roots. The project was undertaken by Michelle Gage of Philadelphia-based Michelle Gage Interiors, who notes the home's significant age, dating back to the Revolutionary era. This particular residence presented a unique challenge due to its extensive history and the accumulated alterations made by previous inhabitants over centuries. The homeowner's openness to Gage's suggestions was a crucial factor in the redesign's success, allowing for a creative yet respectful approach. Gage identified an inherent 'English vibe' in the home and aimed to align the interior design with both this aesthetic and the client's 'quirky and eccentric' personality. The English influence is evident throughout the house, starting from the entry where antique boot racks hold wellies. The primary bedroom showcases a vibrant display of color and pattern, featuring layered florals on the walls, headboard, and bedding. The chosen wallpaper designs evoke a British country house style, characterized by rich patterns that contribute depth and character to the space. The redesign also incorporated unique elements like a moody, jungle-themed wall covering in the breakfast nook. This wallpaper, featuring hidden animal motifs, thoughtfully frames the home's original built-in cabinetry, adding an element of surprise and whimsy. In contrast, the laundry room adopts a more serene ambiance with a subdued sage-green and white botanical wall covering, designed to create a fresh and crisp atmosphere reminiscent of newly laundered linens. The project successfully merged historical integrity with contemporary comfort and personal style, creating a home that respects its past while providing a vibrant and unique living environment for its current owner. The collaboration between the designer and homeowner resulted in a space that is both historically conscious and reflective of modern eclectic tastes, demonstrating how an antique structure can be adapted for current lifestyles without sacrificing its inherent charm. #LumbertonFarmhouse #HistoricalHome #HomeRedesign #EclecticDecor #InteriorDesign #MichelleGageInteriors #EnglishVibe #RevolutionaryEraHome

Deck-access housing, often criticized and associated with urban blight in the UK, is experiencing a resurgence, driven by a new generation of architects. This typology, famously dubbed "streets in the sky," was once a prevalent feature in 1960s social housing projects, designed to separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic. However, it quickly garnered a negative reputation, becoming synonymous with anti-social behavior and even urban dystopia in popular culture. This negative perception was so deeply entrenched that some deck-access schemes were demolished shortly after their completion, and influential figures, such as former RIBA president Lancelot Keay, disparaged it as "housing for dirty people." Insurers, mortgage lenders, and urban planners continue to approach deck-access homes with caution, often advising against their implementation. Despite this historical prejudice, the article highlights that many of the UK's finest modernist housing examples, including Park Hill and Dawson Heights, utilize deck access. Hundreds of thousands of residents continue to live in such schemes, using elevated walkways daily without incident and often enjoying the arrangement. The author notes that the narrative surrounding deck-access housing often lacks nuance, particularly after high-profile structural failures in prefab designs during the 1980s and Alice Coleman's influential 1985 report, "Utopia on Trial," which linked these designs to social unrest. After a 30-year decline, the typology is making a comeback, with leading architectural firms like Haworth Tompkins, Apparata, and RCKa championing its revival. This renewed interest is explored in "The Deck Access Housing Design Guide," co-authored by Rory Olcayto and Andrew Beharrell, with a foreword by Owen Hatherley. The book chronicles the evolution of this housing type, presents contemporary British and European case studies, and offers practical design guidance. Surprisingly, the resurgence was catalyzed by former London Mayor Boris Johnson's 2009 draft of the London Housing Design Guide. This guide advocated for dual-aspect homes and identified deck access as a viable method to achieve this, emphasizing the importance of an appropriate vernacular. Most of the architects involved in this revival, including Stirling Prize-winners and finalists, were too young to have practiced during the "peak deck" era of the 1960s and 70s. These architects, influenced by the public-spirited modernism of their predecessors, embraced the mayor's challenge, developing a style known as the New London Vernacular (NLV). NLV is characterized as an anti-iconic housing style that emerged in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. It was conceived as a de-risked strategy for developers, being easier to cost, design, build, and sell, and more effective at providing accurate land values than the icon-driven regeneration projects of previous decades. While the London Housing Design Guide did not explicitly mandate brick, it heavily stressed "context," which in London often translates to brick. The guide also called for "tenure-blind" housing with inviting entrances and spacious balconies, as defined in a 2012 report by David Birkbeck and Julian Hart for Urban Design London. Unlike its post-war implementation, which focused on separating pedestrians and cars, contemporary deck-access housing aims to provide high-density dual-aspect homes with individual front doors. While British examples might appear more conservative than their continental counterparts, a closer examination reveals a diverse range of approaches. Examples include Henley Halebrown's playful designs, Matthew Lloyd Architects' blending of new homes with historic estates, and Haworth Tompkins' brick facades for the Silchester Estate. Other notable projects include Murray Grove, Apparata's A House for Artists, and various retrofits of existing structures like Park Hill and former barracks. The article concludes by asserting that the return of deck-access housing, offering dual-aspect homes with cross-ventilation, ample daylight, and enhanced identity through individual front doors, is a positive development, especially given its ability to achieve approximately 300 homes per hectare. While currently favored by urban affordable housing providers, growing planning requirements for dual-aspect flats and advancements in factory-built housing suggest a broader adoption of this typology in the future. #DeckAccessHousing #SocialHousing #UrbanPlanning #ArchitecturalRevival #NewLondonVernacular #ModernistArchitecture #HousingDesign #UKArchitecture #ArchitecturalOpinion