Architecture can sometimes be like playing Tetris, that video game where the aim is to fit a shape into a delimited space with very little room for error. Just ask architect Satish Jassal, who, when designing this small house called Haringey Brick Bungalow, had to work hard to overcome the challenges of a small plot of land in one of north London's typical Victorian neighbourhoods.
"This new-build two-bedroom house shows what can be achieved on a limited plot of land, as long as planning, context and materials are carefully considered". But the challenges went further than that: access was also at play. "The site is located behind a butcher's shop on busy Turnpike Lane, accessed only via a one-metre-wide covered alleyway between the commercial premises," the studio explains.
Not only was the space available limited, but it was also difficult to access. Satish Jassal Architects, therefore, had to be innovative and imaginative to achieve a sense of spaciousness in these reduced spaces. This was achieved by arranging two volumes that make up the house structure, creating outdoor spaces, such as an entrance courtyard at one end and a rear courtyard at the other.
The outdoor areas offer different perspectives, together with the skylights at the top of each volume. But what particularly stands out when you look at the house from the outside is the red brick and its two pyramidal roofs covered in sedum. The pyramidal roofs are designed to let natural light flood the interior and create a sense of visual interest. The vaulted ceilings give the house a sense of space. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow natural light to enter the house and provide a sense of spaciousness.
A large space spanning both volumes houses a generous living room, dining room and kitchen. The laminated timber ceilings with embossed panels follow the shape of the pyramidal roofs, reaching heights of up to 3.5 metres at the highest point, creating a sense of spaciousness inside. Among the decorations, the suspended wooden chandeliers add elegance to the interior.
To achieve a visual coherence between the interior and exterior, the architects maintained handcrafted red brick in the interior materials, combining it with warm tones of oak and clean white surfaces. This creates a perfect harmony between the home's exterior and interior.
Through meticulously measured design and construction choices, Satish Jassal Architects successfully created a light, airy, open-plan living space on a busy London street, proving that with creativity and innovation, a small structure can not only be an excellent alternative but can do so with all the comforts and the utmost elegance.
