Borough: London Borough of Bexley
Scale and Density: Private Home
Status: Planning approved
Client: Private Client
Contractor : Unknown
Construction Value: 200k
A dilapidated garage is transformed into a contemporary, one bedroom house.
This challenging infill site, located between rear gardens and an existing house, presented numerous obstacles to obtaining consent for development, not least the limited site footprint and the proximity of neighbouring buildings. We liaised diligently with the local authority through a process of pre-application and full planning submissions in overcoming these constraints to win approval for the scheme.
To maximise the site’s development potential we initially explored a cube-like form. However, this developed into an L-shape volume (by removing one corner) that permitted a private courtyard in the residual space. The courtyard not only creates a sense of arrival before entering the house, but valuable outdoor amenity space for the residents.
In the absence of a consistent local vernacular style, we felt that there was an opportunity to select materials and details of a contrasting and contemporary nature. Brick offers a robust solution at street level, which is complemented by a dark zinc standing seam cladding on the first floor. A perforated metal privacy screen provide an increased level of privacy to the ground floor living space from pedestrians. This contrast creates a distinctive architectural language that will contribute positively towards the character of the street and local area.
