Kings Langley, England
Site Size: 0.43 acres
Project Size: 2,906 square feet
Program: A couple living in Hertfordshire, England needed a sizeable modern space to house their growing art collection. The pair also sought a sustainable, yet low-maintenance design.
Solution: London-based studio Davy Smith Architects created Mi Casa, a light-filled three-bedroom structure that would include ample gallery space. The two-level house is composed of a narrow, gabled volume (similar to the pitched barns in the surrounding English countryside) adjacent to a smaller one. An entrance hall on the western side of the building opens into a living room with double-height ceilings. Because the clients are avid gardeners, the architects wanted the building to have a strong connection with the outdoors, therefore the kitchen, dining, and living areas open onto an outdoor patio and deck on the eastern side of the house.
Adjacent to the dining space is a glazed, wood-treaded stair with niches for artwork leading to a second floor gallery overlooking the living room. The master bedroom suite—complete with two walk-in closets, and two bathrooms—takes up the majority of the upper level, while a guest bedroom and a gym area occupy the northernmost end.
While the house alludes to vernacular architecture in its shape, the architects gave it a contemporary twist: the black zinc exterior cladding and cool gray interiors are punctuated with splashes of lemon yellow, tangerine, and neon. The minimal structure also has a minimal environmental footprint: a well provides water for the house, and a heat recovery system for more efficient heating and cooling.
Architect:
Stephen Davy Peter Smith Architects
Fanshaw House, Fanshaw Street, London N1 6HX
T: 020-7739 2020
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Products
Exterior cladding
Roofing
Windows
Doors
Greg Blake |
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