← Jigsaw House← Jigsaw House

On a quiet leafy street in South London, an unassuming brick volume, that mimics the pitched roof profile of the adjacent buildings, hides an innovative new family home designed around a generous double height living space and constructed in exposed cross laminated timber.

This home has transformed a vacant garage plot into a high-quality home that reads as an extension of the adjacent brick terrace. The house is rectangular in plan, defined by the extents of the existing garage and garden fence lines and occupying a discreet footprint of approx. 9.3 x 6.3m. To the front, an enclosed courtyard provides a private amenity space screened from the street by a wall which reads as a continuation of the brickwork volume.

Accommodation is arranged over three levels with a generous living and dining zone on ground floor with more intimate spaces above. The main ground floor living/dining space is linked to the adjacent courtyard, bringing plentiful light into the double height space. The first floor provides a bedroom, study, and bathroom arranged around the void. On the upper level a sanctuary is created with master bedroom suite and secluded private terrace that sits within the canopy of the tree in front of the site, hidden from the street by the eaves level parapet.

Externally the house is treated as a blank brick box which opens up to the street, overcoming overlooking issues through the careful placement of windows. The use of a blank gable end references the familiar blind end walls that can be found all over the city.

In material terms a grey brick with light mortar creates a complimentary appearance to the adjoining contemporary dwellings and vicarage. Windows and doors are expressed with timber frames and timber infill panels, lending warmth to the palette and a simple zinc standing seam pitched roof continues the language of the adjoining terrace.

In order to simplify the build process the scheme utilises offsite, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and hybrid construction methods. CLT is a versatile structural timber system which is factory made, brought to site on the back of a single truck and fitted together on site. This factory made ‘kit of parts’ helps to reduce waste and minimise time on site. The panels are left exposed internally, removing the need for additional finishing trades and celebrating the natural qualities of the material. The home also utilises a strategically choreographed system of slab, ring beam and pile foundations to sit lightly on the site and reduce pressure on the mature tree situated on the adjacent pavement.

Together this combination of a traditional form and materials with modern construction techniques creates a contemporary and sustainable home that sits comfortably in its surroundings.