If all a writer needs to find inspiration is a secluded cabin in the woods, then the artist’s equivalent would be a light-filled, purpose-built studio with amazing views; and this is exactly what an artist in Norfolk got, when she hired London architects Stephen and Annabelle Harty of Harty and Harty to create a new workspace on the grounds of her main home.
The structure is a minimalist, sharp and simple space made of local brick and cast in-situ concrete and topped with a green roof. Raw materials and rough finishes create a slightly austere aesthetic, but also a clean palette and flexible space for the client’s artistic explorations.
Inside, the building includes a workspace, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom; here the brick and concrete are complimented by birch veneer plywood on cladding and details such as the window shutters. The cantilevered roof creates a sheltered terrace on one end, while the raised floor level remains connected to the outdoors through large openings and stairways on three different spots.
The quality of light inside the studio and the carefully orientated views towards the house and surrounding greenery – such as the nature and waterways of the Norfolk broads – were both key concerns, as per the client’s brief. A clerestory window in the studio, for example, brings in valuable north light. The small structure, spanning roughly 80 sq m, was meant to provide space for both work and rest.
The client also commissioned the practice to design a series of bespoke furniture pieces for the space, such as a sofa, a bed, chairs and tables; taking this relatively compact project to whole new level, where architecture, design and art meet in perfect synergy.
The brick and concrete structure is located within the plot of the client's main home.
The clean and sharp interiors include a workspace, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
The client also commissioned the pair to design bespoke furniture for the space, including a sofa, a bed, chairs and tables.
The interior features birch veneer plywood, for example in the window shutters.
Key green views, as well as light, were both important concerns in the design of the studio.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of Harty and Harty
-
‘Fashion & Interiors: A Gendered Affair’ at MoMu unpacks the hierarchy of the homeThe Antwerp exhibition interrogates the relationship between fashion, interiors and gender through the concept of ‘gesamtkunstwerk’, a complete work of art. Curator Romy Cockx gives Wallpaper* a tour
-
Milan Design Week: Dropcity challenges detention space design with 'Prison Times'Dropcity's inaugural exhibition 'Prison Times – Spatial Dynamics of Penal Environments', opens a few days before the launch of Milan Design Week and discusses penal environments and their spatial design
-
ICON 4x4 goes EV, giving their classic Bronco-based restomod an electric twistThe EV Bronco is ICON 4x4’s first foray into electrifying its range of bespoke vintage off-roaders and SUVs
-
Are Derwent London's new lounges the future of workspace?Property developer Derwent London’s new lounges – created for tenants of its offices – work harder to promote community and connection for their users
-
Showing off its gargoyles and curves, The Gradel Quadrangles opens in OxfordThe Gradel Quadrangles, designed by David Kohn Architects, brings a touch of playfulness to Oxford through a modern interpretation of historical architecture
-
A Norfolk bungalow has been transformed through a deft sculptural remodellingNorth Sea East Wood is the radical overhaul of a Norfolk bungalow, designed to open up the property to sea and garden views
-
A new concrete extension opens up this Stoke Newington house to its gardenArchitects Bindloss Dawes' concrete extension has brought a considered material palette to this elegant Victorian family house
-
A former garage is transformed into a compact but multifunctional spaceA multifunctional, compact house by Francesco Pierazzi is created through a unique spatial arrangement in the heart of the Surrey countryside
-
A 1960s North London townhouse deftly makes the transition to the 21st CenturyThanks to a sensitive redesign by Studio Hagen Hall, this midcentury gem in Hampstead is now a sustainable powerhouse.
-
Manchester United and Foster + Partners to build a new stadium: ‘Arguably the largest public space in the world’The football club will spend £2 billion on the ambitious project, which co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has described as the ‘world's greatest football stadium’
-
'Bold and unapologetic', this contemporary Wimbledon home replaces a 1970s house on siteThis grey-brick Wimbledon home by McLaren Excell is a pairing of brick and concrete, designed to be mysterious
