It was incredibly lucky to find a blank space to build on in central London. Previously it had been a cheap restaurant in a fashionable part of Chelsea.  So here was an opportunity to build a family house literally from the ground up. Many contemporary buildings in London are wacky for their own sake, but as an architect my challenge was to create a home that fitted in with the rest of the street, would work as my office and be a home for our five children.

 

We had a huge glass front door and large solid door that swings across it. At the side, there is a double garage with a resin floor that could easily be used as another room. The glass façade at the front of the house actually sits about eight inches in front of the masonry wall. I planted a large plane tree in front of the house that protects the glass from too much sun and heat in the summer and works as a visual screen.

 

An all glass facade is placed in front of a masonry facade with composed openings. A full 8 person lift delivers from an entrance hall direct to rooms at each level. The principal room including the kitchen and terrace is on the top floor.

 

The interior design with all its furnishings and fittings was  carefully thought through. See more.