House in Canonbury
London-based architects O’Sullivan Skoufoglou have completed the transformation of a terraced house in Canonbury, turning a 1930s property into a home for their family of four as well as their architecture studio. Rather than extending the footprint, they approached the house as a process of careful editing, revealing its potential while respecting the patina, scale and character.
Built in the 1930s, the house had remained largely untouched for nearly a century. The previous owner had been born in the property and lived there his entire life, keeping it largely as it was.
When Amalia Skoufoglou and Jody O’Sullivan first bought it in 2023 it had no central heating and with only rudimentary facilities for cooking and bathing. However, the house still retained original doors, fireplaces, cornices, picture rails, joinery, and subtle traces of everyday life accumulated over decades. The architects embraced this history, repairing and reusing elements wherever possible instead of replacing them.
O’Sullivan Skoufoglou’s design kept the original layout and proportions of the lower floors. The main rooms remain largely intact, with new openings added between the kitchen and dining room. These openings improve light and movement, while allowing conversation to flow between each space. New joinery in the kitchen and bathrooms is designed as freestanding furniture rather than fixed units, subtly referencing Arts and Crafts principles of movable pieces. Storage and appliances are proportioned to echo existing doors and joinery, reinforcing a sense of continuity.
The most significant intervention occurs at the top of the house, where a previously dormant and inaccessible attic has been transformed into a combined master bedroom and office for the architects. A large new window introduces views to the garden and natural light, allowing drawing, model making, and extended periods of studio work.
A new timber stair connects the first floor to the attic, creating a clear link between the old and new. The architects’ used a dual-layer system to reveal the roof structure while achieving modern thermal performance. The existing rafters were extended and paired with wood-wool insulation, keeping the original construction legible. Plywood wall linings and floors create a tactile, low-maintenance environment suited equally to work and rest.
Material reuse is integral to the project. Bricks from a removed chimney breast have been repurposed as garden paving, original floorboards reimagined as fencing, and terracotta roof tiles laid on edge to form the front patio. These design choices extend the life of existing materials while building a sense of continuity between interior and exterior spaces. The rear garden has been retained and carefully reworked into a productive and resilient landscape. Mature trees were complemented with new planting focuses on ecologically valuable species. Raised beds support growing seasonal vegetables and fruit, while reclaimed York stone paths help tie the garden together.
Sustainability informs a large part of the refurbishment. The original brick walls, pebble-dash render, and timber joisted floors and roof were found to be largely structurally sound and were retained. By avoiding demolition, use of steel, and new concrete ground slabs, the project reduced embodied carbon while upgrading comfort and environmental standards. The house was stripped back selectively to enable internal insulation, structural repairs, and a vapour-permeable airtight roof build-up. New double-glazed timber windows were installed throughout, and spaces benefit from natural light and cross-ventilation.
O’Sullivan Skoufoglou designed the house with future-proofing in mind, including provision for a SunAmp thermal energy store, roof cabling for solar panels, and adaptable infrastructure to support evolving technologies. New construction elements such as the attic dormer, stair, and structural reinforcements are executed almost entirely in timber, further reducing embodied carbon. The architects prioritised low-carbon and carbon-neutral materials, including wood-fibre insulation and timber linings, alongside British-made products and local suppliers.
Through careful acts of repair, insertion, and reuse, Amalia and Jody extend the life of a ninety-year-old house while preserving its memory. Their home/office demonstrates how contemporary family life can be accommodated without erasing the character of what already exists. Past and present are held in balance, producing an architecture of gradual renewal- one that respects what was found and thoughtfully builds what is new.
