A new residential project in Hackney, London, epitomises the benefits of an architect-led self-build in the capital’s ever-hectic housing scene. Greenview House is a two-bed house with a spacious character that belies the numbers (it has a floor area of just 77 sq m). Designed by architect James Davies as a place to live with his partner and whippet, the project replaces a former garage in one of the capital’s many backstreet mews.
The front façade of the Greenview House
Once the site had been identified, Davies set about exploring ways to maximise its potential. The plot itself was just 40 sq m, an area reduced even further once the insulated structural walls were taken into account. ‘I have an iterative approach to working and enjoy problem solving,’ Davies explains. ‘The defining feature here was the plot size… In small spaces, every aspect of the design has to work hard and either do one thing really well, or multiple things at the same time to justify its inclusion.’
The house opens up onto a dining room and kitchen at ground floor level
The ground floor kitchen overlooks a green living wall
Arranged across three levels, including a new basement floor, the house makes careful use of interconnected double-height spaces to maximise the sense of space, connection between each floor and the amount of daylight that reaches down into the lower levels.
The staircase leading down to the basement level
Lightwells at the front and rear ensure the basement never feels cut off. On the upper floor, a small roof terrace provides space for planting off the main living area, while the ground floor level, which houses the kitchen and dining room, has a 3m-wide living green wall in the slender rear courtyard.
The basement bedrooms are illuminated by lightwells
The architect describes the project as ‘more treehouse than townhouse’, with elements like a blackened timber façade and large frameless windows minimising the sense of scale whilst elevating the craft required. Both bedrooms are at basement level, each with its own lightwell, with a shared shower room between them.
The staircase from ground to first floor level
Inside, extensive use has been made of oak carpentry, along with polished concrete floors and galvanised steel details. ‘Concrete is a very tactile, dependable material,’ Davies explains. ‘In the basement, it forms a continuous floor-finish throughout the two bedrooms and shower room. Using one material like this makes the space feel bigger but also creates a very physical connection to the house when you enter.’
One end of the first floor living room is dominated by a large picture window
Much of the structure was formed from CLT (cross-laminated timber) panels, which made sense given the tight, restricted site. Heavily insulated against sound and weather, the CLT component hastened the construction of the finished envelope, further cutting costs. Environmental performance is handled via extensive insulation and a thorough approach to making the house airtight.
Another view of the first floor with its balcony
As a result, the triple glazing, air source heat pump and mechanical heat recovery system all combine to give the Greenview House impressive efficiency levels. ‘During the summer, the house averages approximately two days per week of “free” electricity,’ says Davies. ‘Windows can remain closed and the space still enjoys a constant supply of fresh air thanks to the MVHR.’
The first floor balcony provides essential outdoor space
The London-based studio specialises in residential work, especially where refurbishment and clever planning can boost a project’s performance, liveability or even its financial viability. Greenview House brings all these elements together in a cohesive whole, finding a fresh outlook on an overlooked part of the urban fabric.
The house in its urban context
PaperHouseProject.co.uk, @PaperHouseProject