Three Gardens
Three Gardens
Completed 2020
Full of unique and colourful details, this modest but striking house and studio for artists Kati & Nigel was designed to frame three gardens. The new build replaces an existing cluster of garages. Beginning with the commitment to retain three existing trees on site; a lime, a birch and, a plum; these three gardens became focal points of the design. The building was formed around these garden zones, with each relating to different parts of the house and studio.
A pitched roof rises dynamically in the middle of the site, creating a sense of drama and scale in the living spaces. Extensive glazing in the lounge adds to this sense of space, providing views of the clients thriving vegetable garden, while opposite the sunken studio looks out from a worm’s eye view.
The materiality and detailing of the house creates a rich modern dwelling, while referencing the historical features and brickwork of the local Victorian Housing Stock. The single storey house is set back from the street, fostering a greater sense of privacy, and creating a buffer zone. Here Artist Robert Dawson has designed a permanent exterior tile art installation which playfully reimagines traditional tiling to amplify the buildings individual identity on the street. Inside, interiors, curated by the clients, are full of colour, energy and moments of curiosity.
The result has been to create a vibrant and unique home for the clients.
The house was Shortlisted for the Architects’ Journal’s Architecture Awards 2021 in the Project under £500k category, and was awarded Best Contemporary Home in The Daily Telegraph Homebuilding and Renovating Awards 2021.