- Three compact 'terrace' houses
- High levels of insulation and draught exclusion
- Living spaces provide good visual communication with the adjoining woodland
Developing three, compact, sustainable family houses on a rare site overlooking ancient oak woodland in Highgate, north London
£875,000
Our clients brief was to design three compact 'terrace' houses incorporating high levels of insulation, draught exclusion and requiring low daily energy use. The living spaces were also to provide good visual communication with the adjoining woodland, encouraging use of external decking and lifestyle use of the public trails accessed by rear garden gates.
Located in a terraced street, the triangular plot presented challenges from respect to a repeated house plan to reducing site depth, orientation and overlooking.
In the final scheme, 'front of house' areas (entrance hall, stairs, front reception) were standardised in plan while rear family & living areas were tailored to suit plot depth. The open plan kitchen and living spaces communicate with outdoor spaces through thermally broken full height aluminium bi-folding glazed doors.
Upper levels were similarly adapted to suit plot depth, standard master suites overlooking the street and tailored family bedrooms overlooking oak trees to the rear.
Materials selected for the build are self- finished and low maintenance, including oiled oak cladding, patinated copper roofing and reclaimed London stock bricks. Windows, hardwood and triple glazed, feature side ventilators in matching oak tongue & groove boards.