Since being awarded a place on the long-list for House of the Year our Hidden House project has received a lot of attention. It was recently featured in an informative article on the Guardian. One of the best aspects of the piece was the look at the constraints of the site and how we overcame them with good design. In fact it was remarked that the key features of the property are a response to the limitations.
One of the trickiest aspects of the project was getting enough light into the home. This was particularly challenging because it was only possible to put windows on one wall. The response to this was to use large panes of glass and coffers in the ceiling topped with glazing. The end result is an elegant design and a well lit interior with special shadowing effects.
A unique aspect of the property is the geometry. In particular the ceiling coffers align with the carefully poured concrete floors and wall panels. It is a subtle design touch but creates a really wonderful atmosphere. In addition the concrete used on the floor looks almost like marble and will continue to age well.
The home feels warm and welcoming because of carefully selected oak panelling. Hidden behind this are storage spaces so that the entire property is less cluttered. It took a huge amount of effort to create the design, planning exactly where everything would go and what would be needed to store it.
The House of the Year award will be announced on November 28th on an episode of Grand Designs. It will be fantastic to see which property wins and what the judges have to say about the design. Whatever the result, all of the properties deserve their nomination.
At Coffey Architects we are committed to expanding our design capabilities and continuing to deliver properties that make a wonderful impression. This focus has helped us to become one of the most creative residential architects London has to offer. You can have a look at our other projects on our website, including details of each brief.
If you have any questions for us please get in touch.