Brutalist concrete defines this tactile East London home
A clever material composition elevates this East London home by DGN Studio that blends brutalist concrete with light-coloured wood
Architects Daniel Goodacre and Geraldine Ng have transformed a dark Victorian semi-detached terrace in East London, into a modern family home that exudes calmness. Grounded on a heavy, concrete base, the home feels at the same time light and sleek. Inspired by brutalist architecture and concrete structures, it features expert joinery and clean, minimalist surfaces anchored in craft, clever material choices and fine detail.
The pair set up emerging architecture practice DGN Studio in 2016. They were commissioned by a young couple for this residential project soon after – initially appointed to work just on the home's extension. Soon, they expanded the brief to cover the whole house.
‘Our clients gave us so much to work with,' says Ng. ‘In discussing the brief and project, we found the project was focused less on how it was to look, but how it was to work for the clients. Prioritising function while still factoring form allowed us to select materials that would work in a simple aesthetic harmony, wear beautifully, and ultimately endure.'
Faced with a typical Victorian interior of smaller, darker rooms, the architects got to work tearing down walls and opening up spaces and views. As a result, there are striking view lines that connect the house from front to back. Smooth surfaces, mostly neutral, natural colours (with a couple of bold choices in the upstairs bedrooms) and careful detailing create a seamless, soft overall aesthetic that adds domesticity to the naked concrete.
The kitchen area in the rear extension is a centrepiece – a celebration of concrete, supported by the rich materiality of the Dinesen timber floors and muted terrazzo tiles. The space feels clean and serene, with large windows that connect it to the outdoors. A hidden cellar door within the cabinetry leads to a utility space but remains out of sight when shut. In order to make the space feel more generous, the architects dug down, so the ceilings are set higher.
‘DGN Studio met the task of opening the kitchen to more light and height, and making a space where we could socialise and enjoy hosting friends and family,' say the clients. ‘They really surprised us in how well they chose materials; the colours and tones compliment the concrete floors and benches so perfectly.'
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
The 2024 Ivor Novello nominations for songwriting have been revealed
77 British and Irish songwriters and composers make up this year's nominees, announced tonight at London's Groucho Club
By Charlotte Gunn Published
-
Why Bollinger’s La Grande Année 2015 champagne is worth celebrating
Champagne Bollinger unveils La Grande Année 2015 and La Grande Année Rosé 2015, two outstanding cuvées from an exceptional year in wine-making
By Melina Keays Published
-
Lexus installation explores time at Milan Design Week 2024
Lexus brought designer Hideki Yoshimoto’s ‘Beyond the Horizon’ to Milan’s Art Point, part of its ongoing series of collaborations with Fuorisalone
By Nargess Shahmanesh Banks Published
-
Stephen Friedman Gallery by David Kohn is infused with subtly playful elegance
Stephen Friedman Gallery gets a new home by David Kohn in London, filled with elegant details and colourful accents
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Henry Wood House’s postmodernist bones are refreshed by Nice Projects in London
Nice Projects breathes new life into the Henry Wood House in London, offering ample flexible office spaces for modern workers
By Daven Wu Published
-
‘Bio-spaces’ exhibition at Roca London Gallery celebrates biophilic design
‘Bio-Spaces: regenerative, resilient futures’ opens at the Roca London Gallery as ‘a call to action to stop designing nature out’
By Clare Dowdy Published
-
Don’t Move, Improve 2024: London’s bold, bright and boutique home renovations
Don’t Move, Improve 2024 reveals its shortlist, with 16 home designs competing for the top spot, to be announced in May
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Timber-framed Wimbledon house is a minimalist, low-energy affair
A new timber-framed Wimbledon house is designed to blend into its traditional surroundings with a neat brick façade, careful massing and pared back interiors
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
London Science Museum’s Energy Revolution gallery champions sustainable exhibition design
The Energy Revolution gallery opens at London’s Science Museum, exploring decarbonisation through sustainable exhibition design by Unknown Works
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
This South Downs house stands as a testament to the value of quiet refinement
At one with the landscape, a South Downs house uses elements of quintessential country villas and midcentury gems with modern technologies
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Ash Tree House offers a contextual approach to a north London site
Ash Tree House by Edgley Design is a modern family home in a north London conservation area's backyard site
By Ellie Stathaki Published