A house in Coombe Park shows off its flowing curves

When a client in the business of creating temporary structures and spaces for sporting events (and with a strong interest in design and architecture) approached Eldridge London Architects for a new home in Kingston, the option to create something eye catching and decidedly modern was the only way to go. ‘The opportunity to build his own house offered the potential to ally his enthusiasm for contemporary architecture with a structure of greater permanence and resonance', explain the architects.
At the same time, the plot, situated in a secluded enclave of 20th-century bungalows in Coombe Park (a short drive from central London), among more classical and eclectic neighbours, offered ample possibility and the allure of a rich natural context – featuring a gentle slope and a mature oak tree, which Eldridge and his team drew upon to compose the new build structure's soft curves and dramatic forms.
The ground level was kept very much open and flowing, clad in glass so as to allow the nature to play a key role, keeping views out unobstructed. ‘The project reaffirms the practice’s approach to find design inspiration in the specifics of a context to deliver a unique and memorable building rather than seeing contextual design as something which involves replication or imitation', add the architects.
Stepping into the house via a dramatic entrance rotunda, the visitor is led through to the main, open plan living space downstairs, which incorporates a unified dining and kitchen area. The top level is reserved for the master bedroom and its en-suite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe.
Exposed concrete internally, glass, and a two storey cylindrical stair core made of finely crafted joinery – which is also spotted elsewhere, in the built in furniture and cabinetry – define the project's main material palette. Further touches include the use of polished brass and stainless steel elements, internal white marble and external grey limestone, as well as of course the eye-catching, shaped vertical aluminium cladding on the first floor facade, which comes to largely define the house's exterior.
The house is generous in size, yet it appears light and smaller at first glance, thanks to the clever use of glass and a relatively small footprint. Its playful shapes and the relationship with its context ensure it creates a meaningful dialogue with the environment around it, while maintaining a very strong, contemporary and design-led character; just as its authors wished it.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the Eldridge London Architects website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Watches & Wonders 2025: preview Richemont’s latest innovations, on show at the Geneva watch fair
Discover eight enticing timepieces from the luxury group, showcased this week at the Geneva fair
By Simon Mills Published
-
Masters of midcentury modern design and their creations spotlighted in new book
‘Mid-Century Modern Designers’ is a new book from Phaidon celebrating those who shaped the period and their notable creations, from furniture to objects
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Drafting nine international artists, Gucci’s ‘90 x 90’ project transforms its silk scarf into a creative canvas
Part of Gucci’s ‘The Art of Silk’ initiative, the project sees nine artists riff on the Italian fashion house’s most memorable motifs, from lush depictions of flora and fauna to its signature horsebit
By Jack Moss Published
-
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
By Emily Wright Published
-
Showing off its gargoyles and curves, The Gradel Quadrangles opens in Oxford
The Gradel Quadrangles, designed by David Kohn Architects, brings a touch of playfulness to Oxford through a modern interpretation of historical architecture
By Shawn Adams Published
-
A Norfolk bungalow has been transformed through a deft sculptural remodelling
North Sea East Wood is the radical overhaul of a Norfolk bungalow, designed to open up the property to sea and garden views
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A new concrete extension opens up this Stoke Newington house to its garden
Architects Bindloss Dawes' concrete extension has brought a considered material palette to this elegant Victorian family house
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A former garage is transformed into a compact but multifunctional space
A multifunctional, compact house by Francesco Pierazzi is created through a unique spatial arrangement in the heart of the Surrey countryside
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A 1960s North London townhouse deftly makes the transition to the 21st Century
Thanks to a sensitive redesign by Studio Hagen Hall, this midcentury gem in Hampstead is now a sustainable powerhouse.
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
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’
By Anna Solomon Published
-
'Bold and unapologetic', this contemporary Wimbledon home replaces a 1970s house on site
This grey-brick Wimbledon home by McLaren Excell is a pairing of brick and concrete, designed to be mysterious
By Tianna Williams Published