Runda
Conceived as a fully timber-framed new build, the three-storey, three-bedroom house is defined by curves – circular windows, gently sloping walls and a calm flow between floors. Both playful and functional, it is an expressive example of creative architecture built with care and a light environmental footprint.
A Flawk development, with NIKJOO as architect, Runda continues the developer’s small-scale, high-craft approach, transforming overlooked plots through design that is both sustainable and considered.
The house occupies a former brick-firing plot on Lamble Street, in London’s Gospel Oak, adjoining a 1960s Powell & Moya terrace within the Lamble Street Estate. When first discovered, the site was an overgrown corner lot, enclosed by fencing and marked by a distinctive curved boundary. That geometry became the project’s guiding line, informing both the footprint and the language of the architecture.
Constructed with a timber frame and brick cladding, Runda references the site’s industrial past and the surrounding brick buildings. The façade’s double-toned brickwork traces the height of the neighbouring terraces, reducing visual mass while establishing a calm rhythm across the elevation. Circular and semi-elliptical openings introduce daylight and a hint of Flawk development’s hallmark ‘refined playfulness’.
Through its material choices and energy strategy, the home achieves a projected 62% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with current Part L1 standards, marrying sustainability with context-driven design. A green roof and air-source heat pump support the low-energy build, while the timber frame helps lower embodied carbon relative to conventional masonry construction.
Inside, timber defines the atmosphere. The entrance opens to an open-plan kitchen and living area where oversized glazing overlooks a planted courtyard garden. A wall of wood panelling anchors the space, concealing under-stair storage and forming a fold-out door for discreet separation.
The interior was designed and fabricated in-house by Flawk – the kitchen combines panels of pine, oak and cherry cabinetry with a fingerprint-resistant stainless-steel worktop. A bespoke concrete ‘bean’ corner counter, its curve referencing the site’s geometry, softens the junction between walls. Beneath the concrete lies fabric collected from Flawk founder, Ashley Law’s, own travels, embedding a personal layer within the structure.
A curved staircase connects all three floors, crafted from stainless steel and oak, echoing the home’s sculptural lines. A skylight brings daylight deep into the stairwell, while a circular porthole on the mid-landing frames views of the neighbourhood.
Two bedrooms and a family bathroom occupy the first floor, where smooth polished plaster, pale timber and brushed-metal fittings create a calm, resilient backdrop for daily life. The floor tiles are travertine mosaic, with darker accents used to define thresholds and wet areas. Bathroom vanities and ledges are made in sapele, while the marble surfaces are formed from off-cuts, continuing the project’s resourceful approach to material use.
The top floor forms a master suite opening onto a private terrace furnished with Six Dots design pieces. The ensuite bathroom is finished with custom mirrors and fittings, and a circular rooflight that brings natural light into the room. A desk chair by Freddy Tuppen completes the space, balancing craft with function.
Materiality sits at the heart of Runda. Every element – from the structure to the smallest handle – was chosen for its texture and tactility.
A collaboration with STORE Projects extended that ethos to education. Building on the site’s history as a kiln, Flawk worked with STORE’s after-school programme supporting young people from under-represented backgrounds pursuing creative courses. Students learned physical modelling, 3D scanning and ceramic casting to create the home’s hand-made ceramic knobs and handles – the literal ‘handshakes’ of the building.
Elsewhere, a hand-sewn semicircular café curtain made from fabric from Law’s collection dresses the ground-floor WC’s circular window, paired with a handmade brass tap.
Artworks are curated with Miłość Gallery, featuring pieces by Douglas Cantor, Sophie Vallance Cantor and Katie Hackett. Vintage furniture comes from Mya.Kin, Disjecta Membra and 311 Ltd.
Runda is a study in design shaped by constraint. The tight, curved site demanded careful thinking, resulting in a house that is both thoughtful and distinctive. It demonstrates how underused urban plots can be transformed into meaningful, sustainable homes without compromising quality or character. Runda distills a belief that architecture can be joyful, precise and human – a meeting of craft, collaboration and context.
