Cycles of rain & growth
2020 - ongoing | media: growing building | location: London | scale: 150m2
Watercolour perspective of the ground floor extension from the garden
This refurbishment of a Victorian Terrace in South London is an opportunity to research the typical contemporary urban conflict between increasing density and ecological resilience. How can architecture resolve the conflicting aims of retaining outdoor amenity and enhancing the ecology and biodiversity of this urban ecosystem whilst increasing the density of the site to host a growing family.
It is composed of three extensions. The ground floor creates a large living kitchen opening to the garden. At the opposite end of the garden, an outbuilding provides a multifunctional space that flexibly switches between home office and spare bedroom. A roof conversion hosts an ensuite bedroom.
The new buildings are shaped to celebrate the life cycles on the site: growth and water. The buildings are designed to be covered by climbing plants that also provide spaces for animal life. Rain water falling on the roofs is drained to gutters and channels designed to form fountains that make visible and celebrate the changing weather. The water ends in rain gardens to replenish the ground water table and sustain the lush vegetation of the garden.
Watercolour perspective of the garden room