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Derelict garages to become invisible eco home |
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2 Jun 2014, 9:37 PM
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Two derelict garages situated in a protected conservation area in south London are set to be converted into London’s first ‘invisible' eco house.
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Following a two-year negotiation process with planners from Lewisham Council, which saw numerous proposals for the development of living quarters on top and below the disused garages rejected, plans have finally been signed off for the development of an architecturally discreet new contemporary two-bedroom living space.
Features include a subterranean basement complete with sunken garden, a first floor space encased within a highly reflected glass ‘mirror box’ that will render the building practically invisible to the eye as it camouflages itself amongst its leafy surroundings, and a roof terrace providing elevated solace and seclusion in amongst the trees,
Building will commence in early summer 2014 and will be completed by early spring 2015.
The site - previously a coach house situated on a prominent corner at the end of a row of period terraces historically built for wealthy dock owners, and flanked either side by communal gardens full of mature trees - posed a particular challenge for architects JaK Studio, who were briefed to design a home that would unlock these constraints and win planning permission. Ultimately, the finished design would also have to respect the sensitivities of the conversation area and complement rather than clash with the period features of the street.
The firm proceeded to develop a number of design solutions with these core considerations in mind – including a house built on stilts and a reconversion of the garages back to its original coach house form – both of which were rejected by Lewisham planners for being “too prominent” and “too vernacular”.
A final return to the drawing board saw a new design concept come to life – it was for a ‘mirror’-clad upper storey that would seamlessly blend in with the natural surroundings of the conservation area. This concept drew influence from the ‘Tree Hotel’ by Tham and Videgard architects, and harnessed a strategic approach to overcome the issues of bulk, scale and prominence expressed by the planners. In December 2013, at a planning committee, Lewisham Council granted permission for the scheme, citing the final design as making “a unique and positive contribution to the character of the Brockley Conservation Area.”
While the design is sensitive to the delicate conservation area on which it will be built, the fabrication of the house itself will have sustainability at its very heart too. When finished, the property will reach ‘passivhaus’ standard. Its use of renewable energy sources for heat and power and its naturally ventilated ‘super insulated’ structure means that its owners will only need to put the heating on for a few days out of a year.
Architect Jacob Low comments: “This project has certainly been an exercise in perseverance and represents a process full of dialogue with my clients, Lewisham Planning Department and various specialist consultants – as a practice we are proud to have at last won planning on such a constrained site with a bold proposal we believe is a truly unique solution in both conceptual and planning terms’
Kevin Morton, owner of the garages comments: “We’d been trying to build a house in Lewisham and on this particular plot of land for a long time but given the complications faced, we were really unsure whether this would even become a reality. We owe a huge debt to the patience and creativity of the architects. We can now start building a house that is completely different to any of the houses in the surrounding area, or even in London itself.”
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