Replacing unused garages, this end-of-terrace, infill site development is a contemporary reinterpretation of the neighbouring terraces, complementing the streetscape and adding a House on the End.

With a respectful understanding of architectural styles in the historical heart of Brockley, the form and proportions of the bay windows are adapted into a folding of the façade while the white concrete banding continues the Victorian datums along the elevation. The natural variety in the brickwork is broken by dark bronze fenestration and over panels, allowing for slim sightlines and maximising natural daylight to the interior.

Within the house the muted greys of exposed concrete and poured terrazzo are complemented by a warm palette of brass, blackened steel and limed timber. Sliding partitions and open planning fulfil the potential of this tight site.

A belief in the simple purity of self-finishing materials creates an honest aesthetic that is a pleasure to inhabit. This ‘raw is more’ philosophy is exhibited throughout the design from the muted greys of exposed concrete walls and poured terrazzo floor, to the warmth of the limed timber walls and brass fittings. This material honesty allows the inhabitants to understand the building’s construction, whilst not losing sight of important human-scale details.

While ordinarily concrete is not regarded as a particularly sustainable building material, at House on the End the design team opted for an innovative, high flexural strength, fibre reinforced concrete with a significant proportion of GGBS used as cementitious replacement. This reduced the embodied carbon within the project by not only using recycled waste products but almost completely eliminated the need for standard reinforcement bar, reducing time on site and creating efficiencies in thinner slabs and walls than would not be achievable with traditional reinforced concrete. The concrete also creates a homogenous, near-airtight box which, along with to its thermal mass properties, does away with the need for any active cooling or MVHR system. This helps to achieve a designed SAP rating of 92+, or EPC A.

From the outside, House on the End seeks to complement the local streetscape, but within it challenges pre-exiting notions of suburban living, sustainability, and raw materials.

Start on site: Oct 2018
Completion: September 2019
Gross internal floor area: 110m²
Form of contract: Bespoke Construction Management
Construction cost: £265,000
Client: Private
Architect: 1200 Works
Structural Engineer: Elliot Wood
Principal contractor: Altus Construction