Reciprocal House by Gianni Botsford Architects

Location: Hampstead, London
Project size: 3,045 square feet

Program: Hidden on a backland site in London and located behind a pub in Hampstead Mews, Reciprocal House is a primary home for a family with two children. Gianni Botsford Architects (Design Vanguard, 2008) replaced a nondescript and dilapidated 1860s cottage while renovating an exemplary 1968 extension by Norman Foster. The house accommodates a kitchen, dining, and living spaces on the ground floor; three bedrooms and a roof terrace on the upper two floors; and a basement level studio room benefitting from 10-foot tall lightwells. Reciprocal House is locally adapted to its context, allowing nature to lead the design process and resulting in living spaces that embrace light, views, fresh air, and privacy.