Company Details
Company NameAlexander Owen Architecture
AddressUnit 311, Level 3, Peckham Levels
95a Rye Lane
London
United Kingdom
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NameJames Webster
Job TitleDirector
EmailEmail hidden; Javascript is required.
Phone07941692625
Role of this organisation in the project being enteredArchitect
Category
  • Housing - Buildings such as houses, flats and apartments that are used for sheltering people. These could be either part of the private or public sector and could be individual dwellings or multi-dwelling developments. Social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market, are included. 
  • Light + Surface - The innovative use of light and the way it is inextricably linked to surfaces, whether it’s the effect the light has on the surrounding surfaces or the materials used to create the light.  
Project Name (written how it should appear)Ashbourne Grove
Project Address57 Ashbourne Grove
London
United Kingdom
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Client NameChristian Murphy
Designer/Architect NameJames Webster
Contractor NameAndy Young
Project Description

Ashbourne Terrace as existing was a single-storey, 2-bed dwelling-flat on a generous corner put in East Dulwich. The brief from the client was to add an independent entrance away from the existing communal entrance shared by two other dwelling-flats; a third bedroom/office; an ensuite shower room; a new family bathroom; and a modernised open-plan living-kitchen-dining space connected to the external garden. In terms of look and feel, the client brief was relatively open but it had to be modern, clean, bright and spacious.

Our key agenda was to maximise the development potential of the site and through careful analysis we began massing out the envelope of the scheme. Developing out towards the southern boundary - which runs at an angle to the property - provided a relatively large footprint and enabled us to wrap the extension around the main house and attach to the existing outrigger. Finally we added a rear extension beyond the outrigger in line with a neighbouring extension. The large tree towards the front of the site dictated that we step the side extension backwards to avoid developing too far into the RPZ, and based on the arboricultural tree constraints we sized the scheme accordingly.

One of the main creative drivers for the scheme given it’s corner plot, which we discussed with the client very early on was the opportunity to create an architectural statement and give something back to the local community with regard to the street-scene in terms of visual interest. The key concept we came up with was 2 large brick spine walls which stepp upwards from the boundary towards the main house, each projecting above their respective adjacent flat roofs giving them a marked prominence. The lowest, outer spine wall which follows the tapering boundary line was then detailed with a saw-tooth brick form, which on the eastern face is clad with black reeded glass panels whilst the western face remains as brick. This gives an affect of movement and adaptation as you move past the building east to west along Melbourne Grove, changing from brick to black glass and vice versa depending on which direction you approach from.

Internally we wanted to make sure that the brick spine walls also took prominence, visually connecting the internal and external fabric. The inner and tallest spine wall forms the internal entrance corridor and projects up through a recessed structural glass roof window, allowing the brick to seamlessly pass ‘through’ the glass up to the brick on edge capping detail above. This wall also forms the extents of the family bathroom. The texture of the brick work is offset by smooth spray-painted joinery and engineered glazing systems, which alongside the earthy tones of the terrazzo flooring and skirting create a a uniquely tranquil space.

The standout internal feature of the scheme has to be the lightwell. Driven by the need to provide natural light and ventilation to the internal master bedroom, the light well presented a great opportunity to locate a specimen tree in the form of an Acer. A pebbled floor - covering the rodding access for the foul waste runs - provides an equally organic feel beneath the Acer. The lightwell comes into it’s own at night with the ever-changing tones of the acer leaves up-lit whilst throwing organic shadowing across the ceiling of the dining space. The lightwell provides a beautiful feature for both the kitchen-dining-living space as well as the master bedroom on the opposing side.

Materials Used

Cream wire-cut bricks: The bricks make up the principle architectural feature and aesthetic of the scheme both inside and out. The spine walls dominate externally, providing a robust architectural language. Internally the bricks provide a textured backdrop for the tan-aggregate terrazzo flooring and skirting, painted joinery and black-framed lightwell glazing.

Black blockwork: The black blocks are used externally as a stark, industrial contrast to the more domestic and refined cream brickwork, helping to make a dramatic feature of the spine walls.

Black reeded glass: This has been used to provide visual interest for the street scene. Having the opportunity to address the street in this manner was a fantastic opportunity to create something visually dynamic in both colour and material as you move past it. (NB We have included some short clips of the flank elevation brickwork, but at the time of shooting the boundary fence was yet to be replaced so it’s for information only rather than for presentation purposes.)

Terrazo: The tan aggregate within the terrazzo tiling sits comfortably against the cream tone of the bricks as well as the natural wood island panel. This scheme is very much about simple material/colour blocking, which in the round helps to create an organic tranquility.

Black aluminium glazing systems and FFE: Black has been used as an accent for all FFE and the glazing systems. This contemporary and very engineered aesthetic of key items has been used to offset the more organic brick, wood and fabric features.

Microscreed (Bathroom + Lightwell): Continuing the natural, organic theme we used mircroscreed in the bathroom and lightwell. Off-white and charcoal in colour respectively, the texture and patination helps to enhance the natural aesthetic and tie the various spaces, materials and textures in the scheme together.

Sustainability

All of the fabric build-ups which form the external envelope were designed to surpass building regulations by a minimum of 25%. The materiality of the building externally is robust and built to weather in its natural state. There is a ‘simplicity’ to this scheme in its material blocking, much of which is underpinned by refined construction detailing and skilled craftsmanship to deliver what we believe to be a robust architectural language.

Issues Faced

The biggest issues we faced concerned the accuracy and craftsmanship required for the brickwork. The flank elevation with its sawtooth detail, the long internal corridor including its recessed structural glass roof window abutment detail and the recessed terrazzo skirting all took great care and attention to both detail design and construct with accuracy.

Additional Comments

We have included some short clips of the flank elevation brickwork, but at the time of shooting the boundary fence was yet to be replaced so it’s for information only rather than for presentation purposes.

Video Linkwe.tl
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