Backland Development, London
The site for this family home is located within a Conservation Area. It sits behind two large four-storey semi-detached houses which are “Significant Unlisted Buildings”
The form of the building, its geometry and orientation are all influenced by the constraints of the site and the objective to ensure no overlooking or overshadowing of any of the adjoining dwellings.
The west facing entrance façade is designed to take full advantage of the evening sun at the first floor level whilst carefully balancing the sunlight with privacy at the ground floor level. This is achieved through the use of fully height integrated movable screens.
The ‘openness and transparency’ of the south and west facades juxtaposes sharply with the ‘closed’ treatment of the solid brick planes of the east and north facades . These facades are left as solid brick planes to ensure no overlooking of adjoining gardens .
The use of natural materials and the careful manipulation of the buildings massing and volume ensures that the house integrates very well in its mature residential context while being confident enough to project a contemporary architectural approach.