LONDON LOVES: The Zig-Zag Roof House
Never before have our homes meant so much to us. 2020 has changed how we interact with our homes, especially in cities like London. Most of us now eat, sleep, work, socialise and exercise from home, with much fewer, if any, visitors being welcomed in. Earlier this year, the annual event, Open House London, celebrated the best of architecture and urban landscape in London for 2020. One of our favourite homes in this years event was the “Zig-Zag Roof House”, the personal home of architect Julia Hamson of 4S Architecture.
All photos by Henry Woide who captured the images of the house on film.
Julia collaborated with her neighbours to maximise height at the boundary, and brought daylight into a once dark and cramped space in this Victorian Terrace in Camberwell, South London. Julia and her neighbour realised that by working together, they would be less limited by planning regulations when it came to the height of their extensions. Julia had previously applied for planning permission, but had been asked to reduce the height along the boundary to 2.5 meters rather than the proposed 4 meters. The neighbours architect had designed a sawtooth roof facing the opposite direction, and so it was suggested that they create a 4-meter-high party wall at the junction. The result could not be more appropriate for the year 2020.
This flexible space has been cleverly designed to serve this family as it changes over the years. Playful and yet practical, this house looks as ready as ever for the next Zoom meeting, but just as ready to come together to eat, cook, play, and adapt to the changing needs of a family.
We also love the retention of the plaster corbels, stair bannister and gas lamp original features. With the gas lamp, Julia retained the cable and arched arm of the lamp, and had it re-wired by an electrician. Her desire was to keep the front of the home as true to the original as possible and for it to become more contemporary as you move further back into the house.
As we write this article, it has just been announced that London is going into Tier 4 ‘Stay at Home’ band. Heading into 2021, it’s clear that well designed residences are focusing more on multi-functional spaces and hard-wearing finishes, to quite literally see them through whatever comes next! But we have hope, that one day Julia’s beautiful home, as well as yours and many others will be welcoming visitors inside once again soon!