Designing a contemporary home on a narrow and very enclosed site in West London, only five metres wide and almost forty metres long, meant strict planning guidelines permitted a single storey dwelling with no boundary wall windows.

The design response was to create a basement level at the rear to allow space for a master bedroom suite and creating three courtyards throughout the plan to bring light and fresh air into the home. An open-plan corridor runs the length of the house, with the main living spaces feeding off this, so the internal space is open, simple and filled with light.

The steel and glass ‘Crittal’ style doors which lead onto the courtyards, are a striking feature and provide long internal views. Western red cedar battens clad the courtyard walls and the small interior spaces, adding a tactile element to complement the natural palette of materials.

The project was completed while part of De Rosee Sa Architects.