Brixton Road Flat
Located between the vibrant neighborhoods of Brixton and Stockwell, the Grade 2 listed terrace maisonette was refurbished and enlarged with a simple glazed two storey extension in 2009. The glazing was masterminded by Firman and the glass floor itself is a structural element, as well as allowing more sunlight to the basement. East-facing, the glass reflects the morning sunlight back into the garden, casting shadows on the rusted metal-clad retaining wall of the newly-excavated basement garden.
The extension includes an element of black-stained hardwood, with doors to the garden and ground and basement, and all the opening lights. The complicated joinery screen also includes a bespoke stainless cat-flap.
Ground Floor is open-plan – the conservatory is the dining space, used daily by the family naturally congregating in the light. Off the shelf units have concrete worktops, something of an experiment for the builder and now with a deep patina, one of the elements that links the old and new parts of the property. The family room also has a concrete hearth and simple hole-in-the-wall fireplace, but retains the original sash window.
Below in the basement, a large front bedroom was altered to create linking rooms with sliding doors concealed in the bookcases of the smaller room. The central shower room is also a simple refurbishment of the existing bathroom (albeit cleverly re-using mosaic tiles from four PizzaExpress restaurants the practice has designed). It is at the rear of the house that the original accommodation is transformed with the creation of a new master suite, enlarged by the glazed enclosure and linked to the newly created basement garden. Bateige Grey limestone slabs link inside and outside spaces. The bedroom and bathroom are in the same space but a specially made iroko bath & sink (by Peter Worsfold) within the sitting room, prevent the space from becoming cold.
The master bedroom includes a bespoke solid iroko bath and a dressing area.
Full height glazing at one end of the room gives views of (and opens up onto) a courtyard garden with a water feature which features a rill and waterfall from a steel RSJ. The tree fern has grown to a magnificent scale, now providing a sense of green privacy to the master bedroom, and a glorious morning view from the master bed.
The gardens have been open each year for the NGS ‘Yellow Book’ scheme and published in Gardens Illustrated, as well as books and other international publications. It’s also a productive garden, with apricots and figs amongst the crops.
