Residence and Workshop in London
- Heide Wessely
Lordship Lane is a historic link road that once ran through a rural surrounding and connects London with East Dulwich. Behind the row of houses bordering the street the clients discovered an unkempt backyard and were lucky enough to purchase it at a low price. Both of them are artists whose home is their workplace. They desired a house that combines living and working – at a low budget. Polycarbonate panels were used not only for the facade, but also for parts of the roof. The clients’ alternative sense of aesthetics helped save costs. The numerous cracks of the screed slab, cast in place in one pour, aren’t blemishes in their view, but rather interesting patterns. They also appreciate the robust character of the inexpensive OSB panels that were used as flooring on the upper level. They welded the stable handrail along the gallery themselves. In the case of this project, the interplay between architect and client appears to have been ideal. The architect developed the best possible organization of spaces on the rather difficult site and selected the appropriate materials from a broad range of options (inexpensive and sturdy). The roof is covered in corrugated fibre cement panels without any additional gutter. When it rains a curtain made of water appears in front of the windows and noisily falls to the ground. The clients aren’t disturbed by it, on the contrary – they even enjoy it.
