Project Size: 2,150 square feet

Program: Architect Carl Turner conceived his combined home and studio, completed in September 2012, as a prototype for infill housing since the house occupies one of four vacant lots in a brownfield site in south London.

Solution: The Slip House consists of a tower of three stacked boxes staggered to lighten the bulkiness of the form. Much of the façade is sheathed in milky, translucent glass planks, which extend above the roof to form the parapet for an outdoor terrace.

The perimeter walls of the house are load bearing, precluding the need for additional support for the open-plan structure. The first floor currently is used as a home studio that could be converted into a sublet or rental apartment if desired. The middle volume contains bedrooms, while kitchen and living spaces are located on the top level.

The house offers an array of sustainable features, including a solar-assisted ground source heat pump, a PV system, a planted roof, rainwater harvesting, reduced water consumption, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. The architect claims that it is one of the most energy-efficient houses in the UK and plans to use the space as a test case for future projects involving sustainability and affordability.