Hide House
This project reappraises home life for a retired couple. An Edwardian house in West London has been remodelled and extended, allowing them to have a sense of space and enabling them to pursue their different interests independently.
The original semi-detached house is Edwardian with boundary walls on two sides of the plot which predate the house, built as part of the neighboring churchyard grounds. The rear garden has a mature Magnolia tree.
Protected and enclosed by the old brickwork walls, the new spaces are arranged within them and around the Magnolia tree, looking onto a central garden. In the main house the kitchen and dining room have been united, now both looking onto the garden, with a bird hide / study off to one side and a pantry tucked behind. At the end of the garden there is a potting shed, cellar and painting studio. At times there are sight lines connecting the various spaces but there are also spaces that avoid sight lines, allowing for independent activity.
Although both clients are currently very active, the living spaces, arranged across one level, will also work for them in later years, should they become less mobile.
The bespoke red brickwork matches through with the existing red clay tiles and boundary wall, as well as the other houses on the street. However the familiar material is presented in a new form, framing the openings with sharp angled faces, allowing light to fall differently across the elevation.
The new extension and outbuildings are predominantly timber frame construction, incorporating custom steel lintels and special chamfered bricks on the main rear elevation to create the angled, staggered brickwork openings. Across the new spaces there is a restrained material palette of red brick, oak and black zinc, which are sympathetic to the existing house and perimeter walls.
The rear elevation is broken up into staggered sections, allowing for punctuation of the different internal spaces. Although using a generous amount of glazing, this punctuation creates privacy from the neighboring houses. The openings within the glazing are selective, with two large oak pivoting doors adding fluidity to the interaction between the house and the garden in good weather and a large central oak door for everyday use all year round.
