East London House – Mikhail Riches

Introduction

The East London House is the principle house of a square in East London. Constructed in 1834 by the Admiral of the British navy, Lord Tredegar the house is now Grade II Listed. When purchased, the property was divided into three flats, with a poor relationship to the garden. Multiple alterations over time had changed what was once a grand London home into a jumble of dark disconnected rooms.

Our brief was to re-establish the elegance of the original house, whilst simultaneously maximising natural light and harnessing the potential of the basement and the rear garden. The clients have two children, and both sets of parents and other family members often stay. It had to work as a big family house for an extended family. Guidance was sought on how to connect the various levels and to make sense of the warren of rooms and staircases.

“The family’s goal, along with architect David Mikhail, was to reconnect the spaces into a single dwelling ready for the twenty-first century, all the while respecting its architectural heritage.”

Elizabeth Bishop
Grand Designs Magazine

Spatial Strategies

We consulted with local architect Jonathan Freegard, who refurbished the house in the 1980’s. He confirmed that much of the internal fabric (including floorboards and fireplaces) were from salvage yards. A recent spiral staircase and conservatory have been removed. Wherever possible our design reinstated the original plan form.

Upon entering the house the original sweeping staircase is now presented in its original form, with the entrance hallway fully restored. Originally there were no views through beyond the stair, and no real connection to the garden, but now the stair hall is a prelude to a new architectural journey through the house, down and into the garden. Moving forward either side of the stair, you pass through the rear wall of the main house into a naturally lit double-height library with views to the garden and a bronze/larch staircase down to the dining area. The extension also houses an open-plan kitchen, with the junction between old and new highlighted through the use of linear flat roof lights.

Materials & Construction

One of the principal design challenges was how to stitch new and old into a complimentary set of rooms; to imbue the interventions with a grain and texture that coexists happily with the original.

The extension is a predominately timber and steel structure. The engineering required to achieve such a thin library floor was challenging, and the Structural Engineer worked collaboratively to help us achieve this. All the timber used in the project is a white-oiled Siberian Larch, including the bespoke sliding doors and windows, the floors the joinery and the external cladding. A white brick with light-grey lime mortar is used inside and out. Metalwork and ironmongery is bronze.

Project TeamDavid Mikhail, Peter Chiu, Ross Perkin, Kayleigh Harp

ContractorEurobuild

Landscape DesignJane Brockbank

Structural EngineerHeyne Tillett Steel

Planning ConsultantHoward Sharp & Partners

Completed2012

LocationEast London

PhotographyTim Crocker

TOP

An extraordinary Grade II Listed residence, set in a beautifully preserved Georgian square.

East London House
Project TeamDavid Mikhail, Peter Chiu, Ross Perkin, Kayleigh Harp
ContractorEurobuild
Landscape DesignJane Brockbank
Structural EngineerHeyne Tillett Steel
Planning ConsultantHoward Sharp & Partners
Completed2012
LocationEast London
PhotographyTim Crocker
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