Architects Daniel Goodacre and Geraldine Ng have transformed a dark Victorian semi-detached terrace in East London, into a modern family home that exudes calmness. Grounded on a heavy, concrete base, the home feels at the same time light and sleek. Inspired by brutalist architecture and concrete structures, it features expert joinery and clean, minimalist surfaces anchored in craft, clever material choices and fine detail.
The pair set up emerging architecture practice DGN Studio in 2016. They were commissioned by a young couple for this residential project soon after – initially appointed to work just on the home's extension. Soon, they expanded the brief to cover the whole house.
‘Our clients gave us so much to work with,' says Ng. ‘In discussing the brief and project, we found the project was focused less on how it was to look, but how it was to work for the clients. Prioritising function while still factoring form allowed us to select materials that would work in a simple aesthetic harmony, wear beautifully, and ultimately endure.'
Faced with a typical Victorian interior of smaller, darker rooms, the architects got to work tearing down walls and opening up spaces and views. As a result, there are striking view lines that connect the house from front to back. Smooth surfaces, mostly neutral, natural colours (with a couple of bold choices in the upstairs bedrooms) and careful detailing create a seamless, soft overall aesthetic that adds domesticity to the naked concrete.
The kitchen area in the rear extension is a centrepiece – a celebration of concrete, supported by the rich materiality of the Dinesen timber floors and muted terrazzo tiles. The space feels clean and serene, with large windows that connect it to the outdoors. A hidden cellar door within the cabinetry leads to a utility space but remains out of sight when shut. In order to make the space feel more generous, the architects dug down, so the ceilings are set higher.
‘DGN Studio met the task of opening the kitchen to more light and height, and making a space where we could socialise and enjoy hosting friends and family,' say the clients. ‘They really surprised us in how well they chose materials; the colours and tones compliment the concrete floors and benches so perfectly.'
INFORMATION
-
16Arlington’s Marco Capaldo on ‘turning up the volume’ with an A/W 2025 collection rooted in 1980s cinemaRevealed at an intimate dinner at London Fashion Week, 16Arlington designer Marco Capaldo found inspiration for an amped-up A/W 2025 collection in David Lynch’s ‘Blue Velvet’, Wim Wenders’ ‘Paris, Texas’ and Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted to Love’ video
-
High low culture and the sickly sweetness of Tootsie Rolls: Derrick Adams in LondonDerrick Adams plays with themes of Black Americana in ‘Situation Comedy’ at Gagosian London.
-
Lamborghini, fast friends with the Italian State Police for two decadesWhen the Italian police need to be somewhere fast, they turn to a long-running partnership with one of the country’s most famed sports car manufacturers, Lamborghini
-
A Danish twist, compact architecture, and engineering magic: the Don’t Move, Improve 2025 winners are hereDon’t Move, Improve 2025 announces its winners, revealing the residential projects that are rethinking London living
-
This Hampstead house renovation in London transcends styles and periodsThe renovation of a Hampstead house in London by Belgian architect Hans Verstuyft bridges the classic and the contemporary
-
London’s Sloane Street has been transformed into a ‘green boulevard’Iconic shopping destination Sloane Street has had a facelift, now boasting wider pavements, enhanced seating and lighting, and a massive planting scheme
-
New book takes you inside Frinton Park Estate: the Essex modernist housing scheme‘Frinton Park Estate’, a new book by photographer James Weston, delves into the history of a modernist housing scheme in Essex, England
-
Conran Building's refresh brings a beloved London landmark into the 21st centuryConran Building at 22 Shad Thames has been given a new lease of life by Squire & Partners, which has rethought the London classic, originally designed by Hopkins, for the 21st century
-
Inside Powerhouse: The redevelopment of Lots Road Power Station, which once fuelled the London UndergroundThe twin-turreted building has followed in the footsteps of Battersea Power Station, being transformed into luxury homes and retail units
-
Sadler’s Wells East opens: ‘grand, unassuming and beautifully utilitarian’Sadler’s Wells East by O’Donnell and Tuomey opens this week, showing off its angular brick forms in London
-
2025 Serpentine Pavilion: this year's architect, Marina Tabassum, explains her designThe 2025 Serpentine Pavilion design by Marina Tabassum is unveiled; the Bangladeshi architect talks to us about the commission, vision, and the notion of time
