Elm Bank Gardens, SW13
Barnes, London Tender 100 sq.m.
Finalist - BD Architect of the Year Awards 2019 Individual House Architect Signature House
The new house at Elm Bank Gardens is located on a compact 75 sq.m plot within a Conservation Area in Barnes. Flanked on 3 sides by adjacent properties, the land originally formed part of the rear garden of the adjacent mansion house that fronts the River Thames. Our client acquired the site aspiring to transform the redundant former garage into a new contemporary house.
To maintain continuity within the street scene, the new 100 sq.m two-bedroom house is set over three-storeys, with the design being a contemporary translation of the traditional terraced house vernacular, following the building line and height, and replicating details such as bay the windows, bargeboard and the circular gable-window.
Retaining the historic boundary walls was an essential component of the design and has dictated the eventual construction methodology, with a fabric first, offsite prefabricated superstructure being adopted to enable ease of construction along the neighbouring flank walls. A brick slip panel is then to be applied to the prefabricated timber frame, combining with a contemporary solid surface panel finish on the front facade mimicking the rendered fronts of adjacent houses, all avoiding the requirement for traditional building trades and minimising inconvenience to neighbours .
A private front garden courtyard creates a secluded amenity space for the house and a buffer from the street. Beyond the front door lies an open-plan living, kitchen and dining room. Large windows positioned on the front elevation into the private courtyard, and high-level patent glazing running along the rear wall provide natural light throughout the space whilst ensuring no overlooking for the neighbours. The first floor steps in at the rear, with the exception of a central feature staircase with a strip of glazing to provide a church-like feeling. At first floor level there is a family bathroom and a master suite, including a private en-suite and a dressing room area, including two bay windows. The second floor accommodation is carved from the pitched roof volume, incorporating rooflights and comprises of a double bedroom with low-level eaves storage.
The design also incorporates renewable energy installations, with photovoltaic panels on the south facing roof and an air source heat pump to providing the underfloor heating and hot water.
The project is set to commence on site in Summer 2019.
