Sanchez Benton architects . photos: © Oskar Proctor
In response to a small budget, the project concentrates on the thermal improvement and reconfiguration of a small drafty 1970’s council house in central London, by finding architectural potential in the responses to the required upgrades. All new interventions explore the architectural language of the infrathin, off-the-shelf sheet building materials found in the original house. Wherever possible, materials were retained, adapted and reused to minimise waste and reduce the carbon footprint of the intervention.
Refurbishment of a 1970’s council house for an actress
Our proposals celebrate the materials and details of mass-produced housing of this period, opens views across the house, and increases access to natural light. The introduction of two new steel beams and a column, define a new centre for the house. The colour of this structure recalls the dusty green paint of a railway bridge visible in the distance. A new high-level window in the gable end façade, provides a third aspect to the house and a view across neighbouring roofs.
By focusing on the spatial qualities of every room, opening new thresholds between spaces and concealing the kitchen behind a folding door, there is an ambiguity to how each room might be used. This allowed our client, an actress, to reimagine the space as a rehearsal studio as and when required.
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