Chance de Silva’s curved concrete volume shortlisted for RIBA House of the Year

This curved concrete house in London’s Stoke Newington neighbourhood was the result of an uncanny partnership between architect, Chance de Silva, and sound artist, Scanner. The surprising collaboration lead to a flexible home and studio inspired by Erik Satie’s ‘Vexations’ – hence the name of the house, ‘Vex’ – which has been nominated for the RIBA House of the Year 2018 award.
Satie’s endlessly looping notes flow through the fluted volume of the house channelling minimalism and craftsmanship. It’s hard to imagine that the site was previously a disused spot designated only for fly-tipping to the annoyance of neighbours, who suggested the site to architects Stephen Chance and Wendy de Silva who then decided to develop their home and studio there.
Ground floor interior space of the Vex House in London
The house is unique and bespoke from every unexpected angle – it took the team eight years to complete. The curved shape helps reduce visibility of the building from the street, and has an interesting effect on the interior – each level is a different shape and plan with curved walls and different views from the windows.
Materials are used openly and honestly throughout. The exterior is raw with boat-like formwork, while inside, elements of the construction are exposed to reveal and celebrate the craftsmanship. The living/dining/kitchen on the second floor is designed with inbuilt wooden storage with metal screens and fittings and pale yellow work surfaces, all illuminated by a circular skylight above.
Creative detailing continues throughout the house from the curved bedrooms on the first floor, to the diverse window shapes and up to the roof terrace where there is an oval wood screen and green roof.
The Royal Institute of British Architects 2018 ‘RIBA House Of The Year’ award will be announced on 28 November 2018
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Chance de Silva website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Harriet Thorpe is a writer, journalist and editor covering architecture, design and culture, with particular interest in sustainability, 20th-century architecture and community. After studying History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Journalism at City University in London, she developed her interest in architecture working at Wallpaper* magazine and today contributes to Wallpaper*, The World of Interiors and Icon magazine, amongst other titles. She is author of The Sustainable City (2022, Hoxton Mini Press), a book about sustainable architecture in London, and the Modern Cambridge Map (2023, Blue Crow Media), a map of 20th-century architecture in Cambridge, the city where she grew up.
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 shows
The Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to know
Designing the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spot
Heritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
A new London house delights in robust brutalist detailing and diffused light
London's House in a Walled Garden by Henley Halebrown was designed to dovetail in its historic context
-
A Sussex beach house boldly reimagines its seaside typology
A bold and uncompromising Sussex beach house reconfigures the vernacular to maximise coastal views but maintain privacy
-
This 19th-century Hampstead house has a raw concrete staircase at its heart
This Hampstead house, designed by Pinzauer and titled Maresfield Gardens, is a London home blending new design and traditional details
-
An octogenarian’s north London home is bold with utilitarian authenticity
Woodbury residence is a north London home by Of Architecture, inspired by 20th-century design and rooted in functionality
-
What is DeafSpace and how can it enhance architecture for everyone?
DeafSpace learnings can help create profoundly sense-centric architecture; why shouldn't groundbreaking designs also be inclusive?
-
The dream of the flat-pack home continues with this elegant modular cabin design from Koto
The Niwa modular cabin series by UK-based Koto architects offers a range of elegant retreats, designed for easy installation and a variety of uses
-
Are Derwent London's new lounges the future of workspace?
Property developer Derwent London’s new lounges – created for tenants of its offices – work harder to promote community and connection for their users
-
Showing off its gargoyles and curves, The Gradel Quadrangles opens in Oxford
The Gradel Quadrangles, designed by David Kohn Architects, brings a touch of playfulness to Oxford through a modern interpretation of historical architecture