Hidden House
Creating a modern family home with minimal impact to its unique Conservation Area setting bordering Hampstead Heath.
Project Information
- Client Private
- Sector Homes
- Size 290m²
- Location Highgate, London
We were approached by a longstanding client to develop designs for a family home in a uniquely sensitive setting, bordering Hampstead Heath and within the Highgate Conservation Area.
The loosely triangular site is bounded by a heathland pedestrian path and neighbouring properties, with an established mature tree at the centre of its southern edge.
Our designs needed to deliver a contemporary, sociable home for the client’s extended family and much-loved dogs, as well as creating privacy from passers-by.
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Private client‘It’s a piece of art. Fathom came up with a genius solution – one side all brick and the other all glass. The house makes the most of views whilst hiding itself from public view.’
Designing the invisible
We conceived the family home as a wrapped brick structure encasing a walled garden.
Lowering the site level created a sunken garden concealed from view and reduced the impact of the new building.
The home is conceived as a pair of softly curved overlapping double-storey brick walls, wrapping around the family’s home and garden. The enveloping walls employ a traditional garden bond alongside a reflective glazed brick ‘stitch’ pattern with raked joints to add depth and detail.
Access to the house is created where the two enclosing walls overlap via a descending stair, with the entrance courtyard extending into a generous double height hall.
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Internally, fully glazed living spaces are orientated south towards the sunken garden which is designed around the protected tree retained behind a low curved wall.
Three bedrooms and a family bathroom are located at first floor to enjoy views across Hampstead Heath. Areas of flat roof across both levels feature wildflower planting to embed the building in the landscape and support local biodiversity.
Hidden House takes an innovative approach to family living, with a seemingly blank frontage used to cloak the house and garden which – on closer inspection – reveals refined details and a unique home for our client.
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Credits
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Architect Fathom Architects
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Planning Consultant SM Planning
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Services Atelier Ten
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Heritage Consultant Montagu Evans
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Landscape LUC
