Crawford Partnership Stonechat Mews
Preface
Crawford Partnership was established in 1997 by Alan Crawford as a ‘boutique style’ London based architecture and interior design practice.
This new book illustrates the design and construction process for three new build homes in Stonechat Mews, Roehampton, which is one that fuses architecture and art to create a modern and contemporary living environment on a backland site originally occupied by a derelict warehouse.
Located at the end of a long avenue of run down lock up garages, the difficult context and conditions of the site were very familiar to us; with restricted access, constrained site geometry, proximity of neighbours on every boundary, and issues of overlooking and privacy to address. However, we relish these challenges, which always inform our creative solutions, especially when working to a tight construction budget.
The national housing crisis is most acute within the capital, and we continue to invest our time and efforts seeking ways to address the long term issues of economic housing provision. Dealing with a quagmire of red tape and bureaucracy on every project, within a constantly changing regulatory framework, and with local planning authorities working under dramatically paired back budgets, all of which can lead to projects taking much longer to obtain planning consent, and this in a climate where there is often minimal design and construction budgets available for quality architecture as land prices soar, meaning we are always using our design skills to maximise the potential of every development, and combining this with our knowledge of materials costs to provide our clients with design solutions that offer more for less.
This project represents the combined efforts of the design team working closely with enlightened clients - an artist and a journalist - and can be seen as a template for similar landlocked sites which may initially look to have little or no development potential.
Alan Crawford 2019
Introduction
Architecture has a strong social purpose to improve and refine the build environment to meet the changing needs of society. Within the context of a national housing crisis, the provision of housing has become increasing scarce and comodified requiring more challenging sites to be developed to meet demand. Working with backland sites introduces additional design, planning and construction constraintsall of which require a response from the designers.
Our projects are driven by a clear and concise philosophy that is concerned with maximising opportunities to create interesting spaces and forms that combine dramatic use of materials and light, and address issues of sustainability and efficiency. Working from the macro site scale down to the micro detailing of a project, we understand the importance of a holistic approach to all aspects of the design and aim to create a beautiful and functional building to satisfy the client’s brief and budget.
We were fortunate on our project in Stonechat Mews to be working with enlightened clients, a husband and wife team, who brought their backgrounds as an artist and journalist to engage with the process. This encouraged our initial designs for a sculpted form with natural daylighting and playful colour, to fuse art with architecture whilst creating a standard in contemporary living.
Transforming a derelict single storey warehouse at the end of a tired garage mews, the outlook initially looked bleak, and as with many of the backland sites we work on in London, the key to the success of the design would be a thorough analysis and synthesis of the complex context of the site and immediate surroundings. The constrained site geometry and close proximity of neighbours on every boundary was always going to be challenging, however these challenges inform our creative solutions.
Brief & Design Development
When we were commissioned to look at the development potential for this backland site, hidden from the main street and occupied by a single storey brick-faced warehouse at the end of a shabby ‘avenue’ of tired garages, creative imagination was required to visualise how this space could be transformed into stylish new-build contemporary homes creating a focal vista along a renovated mews.
The design went through a process of evolution which began from some initial proposals submitted by the clients that involved the use of a prefabricated Huf Haus. Having extensive experience in planning we advised the clients to follow an alternative route which would produce a design that would have a more contextual relevance and be more sympathetic to the surroundings.
“We need more homes and that’s a fact. We need volume, light and character. We need liberated rules. We need imagination to unlock forgotten plots.”
Roger Zogolovitch
Initial designs for these contemporary townhouses explored variations in the massing of monolithic sculptural block forms with a careful assessment on maximising opportunities for natural daylight and sunlight in the deep plan footprint of each of the three, 3-storey houses. These initial studies eventually led to a massing and facade design that balances simple solid and transparent rectilinear forms stepping horizontally and vertically to provide visual interest working with a limited palette of materials.
Proposed First Floor Plan
Proposed Second Floor Plan
Developed Design
The blend of sculpture and art runs throughout the interior spaces with neutral wall and floor finishes allowing individual occupants the opportunity to fashion their own choices of furniture and art, animating the neutral backdrop of each room.
The enclosed double height winter garden at the rear opens up and frames views of the sky above the high garden walls retained from the original warehouse structure. The bespoke kitchen designed by the architect and made by the contractor, has a large south facing window onto the private forecourt, and can be entirely closed when required with concealed pocket doors.
Polished concrete is the finish throughout the ground floor, and natural light from the rooflights above provides constantly changing reflections within the interior. A bespoke cantilevered white polished concrete and glass open riser staircase rises from the open-plan living and dining space as a simple sculptural statement connecting each floor in the gallery-like space. The invisible support structure of individual concrete treads provides an illusion of lightness and a focal point within each house.
Three bedrooms are located at first floor, one of which opens partly onto the double height winter garden, providing additional views out over the garden and connecting to the living space below. The top floor accommodates the master suite with an open plan living room and study between the bedroom and a private external terrace area, and with a ‘zen’ like master ensuite, with a freestanding bath set in front of a fully glazed wall and a backdrop of bamboo, and at the other end, a walk in shower with a large skylight above.
Front Elevation
Side Section
Frontage View
Aerial View
Frontage View Photomontage
Kitchen Design
We initially explored concept ideas with the clients on how to provide each home with a unique kitchen design, whilst remaining within the framework of a standardised layout and configuration for each kitchen space in addition to the budget.
Having an artist as one of our clients led us to exploring the introduction of colour as a unique signature within each of the three kitchens. This evolved through various concepts to provide individual contrasting colours for each of the houses through varying splashback finishes. These bold injections contrast with the grey colour of the main kitchen units, using back-painted glass facing the breakfast bar and further highlighted by LED lights below the wall units above.
The grey kitchen units were made within the contractors joinery workshop and spray painted to achieve a smooth matt finish which contrasts with the lighter grey Corian worktops.
The colour of kitchen units was selected to harmonise with a polished concrete floor finish that runs through the entire ground floor level and both the pendant lighting and the black and stainless steel Miele and Siemens appliances combine to provide an minimal and partly industrial chic that is both practical and vibrant.
Kitchen to Dining Room View
Kitchen Elevation Drawings
Staircase Design
Within all our designs, staircases are considered much more than simple structures to transition between individual floors of a house. They provide opportunities for sculptural features to integrate between the different storeys, anchoring elements within the two dimensional and three dimensional layout and configuration of interior spaces.
At Stonechat Mews, considerable design discussion was ongoing with the clients during the initial concept stage and detailed development of the staircase with our aim to create a sculptured lightweight design with elegantly floating steps and a glass balustrade that would give emphasis to pure geometric forms and clean coherent lines.
Cantilevering from a concealed structural steel frame set within the main spine wall and ascending to the top floor with an inherent lightness belying the weight of the material, the bespoke staircase is a constant focal point within each house. Set within a glass topped enclosure that is constantly washed with daylight and sunlight, creating an endless pattern of filigree shadows dancing across the monolithic spine support wall.
The staircase was fabricated by Saxum Stairs using a white precast polished concrete finish with open risers connected to a toughened glass balustrade capped with a steel handrail.
First Floor Floating Concrete Steps Formation
Hand Drawing Exploring Tread to Frame Connection
Bathroom Design
When designing the new build homes in Stonechat Mews our primary goal was to create a building that fuses architecture and art to create a 21st century living environment. The superlative moments for us on this project are the maximum use of glazing where possible to introduce daylight and sunlight and to provide exceptional views to the outside, whilst maintaining cool interiors and a level of privacy for occupants and neighbours alike.
Within the second floor we were able to facilitate a large bathroom as part of the master suite, taking advantage of an abundance of light and space. The bathroom features a large picture window situated at one end of the space adjacent to the bath to provide beautiful views out and a connection to nature. Across the middle of the room we specified a long porcelain double basin combined with a panoramic mirror which adds further depth into the space and reflects the natural light into the space. Opposite the picture window we located a wet room shower which features a large square skylight that brings additional natural light into the space.
The design concept revolves around a minimalistic style and a coherent language that features pure geometric forms and a specific colour palette which is complimentary to the overall design whilst creating a ‘zen’ retreat from the stress of urban living.
Beyond the bathroom there is a private balcony space is decorated with plants that reflect their colour back into the internal space further enhancing the living experience. This is linked to the bamboo visible from within the bathroom.
Master Ensuite Bath View
Construction Process
The process of construction is rarely simple, however the constraints of the site made this particularly challenging. Crawford Partnership has a wealth of experience in this type of complex backland development, and working closely with the contractor and the design team throughout the process the works were completed efficiently and the original brief by the clients was realised.
The initial works were to demolish elements of the existing single storey warehouse that filled the entire plot, retaining the boundary walls. Installing concrete underpin foundations and then inserting brick piers to support the old brick warehouse walls that were retained made the structure self-supporting at that stage.
With limited space for storage and access, the works required a sensitive approach when dealing with neighbours and it was decided that the construction works would be phased by completing the steel structure of individual houses to take account of concerns from neighbours, and also to facilitate the installation of a new large diameter foul drain that was required to run below the site connecting to an existing main drain outside the boundary.
As with many complicated and demanding projects significant changes were made to the design during this process, with the construction programme being extended to 16 months but still delivered nominally over the clients budget.
Completed Project
The outcome of engaging the artistic characteristics of the clients has created an artistic design, with a monolithic form emerging from the ground being sculpted by the constraints imposed upon the project. The garages and road have been upgraded and landscaped to accentuate the approach towards the houses which have floor to ceiling windows looking back on the mews.
An enclosed shared forecourt at the front of the properties and a fullyglazed open plan living space opening out onto the double-height private winter gardens at the rear, incorporating retained walls from the original warehouse, meaning that despite the tight site geometry, the houses are not only spacious internally but externally too.
The selection of materials was intended to compliment the form of the building and feature aspects that would act as main characteristics by which the building becomes distinctive and identifiable. The design also explores the relationship between solid and transparent materials by the use of glass elements as well as brick, zinc and concrete. The combination of the two creates an interesting transition within the spaces that results in an enduring design.
The finished product is a testament to the original intention and a paradigm to what can be achieved within small forgotten backland plots which, by being given the right attention can be transformed into great opportunities.
Afterword
Look out for the next Crawford Partnership book, coming in early 2020
Photography Credit | Adam Butler Photography
