Behind its fairly typical brick Victorian façade, this house in Primrose Hill, north London, conceals a world of wonders. Designed by Jamie Fobert Architects, the newly completed project, a family home for a private client, balances a discreet, street-facing frontage with a distinctly contemporary interior of minimalist architecture and subtle spatial luxury inside.
Stepping inside from the front door, which does not distinguish itself from the rest on the quiet residential street, a modern interior unfolds, hidden inside the Victorian skin. Two original levels were matched by two new underground floors that add square footage to the period home. A flowing plan, openness and generosity of volume were prioritised in order to transform the historical spaces into a new architecture that, while respectful of its origins, is now fit for the 21st century and the client’s needs.
Jamie Fobert’s House in Primrose Hill
The new material palette also works to that effect, comprising Petersen bricks (used for the added volumes on the side and back of the property), in-situ concrete, travertine and Pietra Piasentina stone, walnut wood joinery, and various steel and bronze fittings, details and ironmongery. Large openings towards the garden, skylights and deep shafts help bring light to even the lowest level, making for atmospheric spaces, such as the underground swimming pool.
The project was a real, holistic labour of love for the architecture team. ‘The clients engaged us as architects to design so much more than just the shell of the building: we designed the kitchen, the joinery, a whole set of light fittings, and even their dining table in black steel. It is rare to be able to work so closely with a family to create something very specific to their needs with this breadth of exploration,’ they say, highlighting how bespoke details and products elevate this domestic design.
Fobert, who leads an award-winning, boutique practice in east London, has built a strong reputation for crafting impressive, gently luxurious homes, alongside arts commissions such as the prestigious Tate St Ives in Cornwall and Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge. The House in Primrose Hill is the latest in a list of residences by his practice that bridges spatial luxury and urban plots, giving us house envy every time.
INFORMATION
-
JW Anderson’s new London store is an inviting emporium of fashion, art and homewareThe idea of curation is at the heart of Jonathan Anderson’s refreshed vision for his eponymous label, one encapsulated in the new Sanchez Benton-designed store on Pimlico Road – a place where the designer’s passions and influences converge
-
Rent this dream desert house in Joshua Tree shaped by an LA-based artist and musicianCasamia is a modern pavilion on a desert site in California, designed by the motion graphic artist Giancarlo Rondani
-
The most comprehensive showing of Nan Goldin’s photographs and films is intense and emotionalNan Goldin's moving-image work makes a heavy impact in ‘This Will Not End Well’ at Milan’s Pirelli HangarBicocca
-
Arbour House is a north London home that lies low but punches highArbour House by Andrei Saltykov is a low-lying Crouch End home with a striking roof structure that sets it apart
-
A former agricultural building is transformed into a minimal rural home by Bindloss DawesZero-carbon design meets adaptive re-use in the Tractor Shed, a stripped-back house in a country village by Somerset architects Bindloss Dawes
-
RIBA House of the Year 2025 is a ‘rare mixture of sensitivity and boldness’Topping the list of seven shortlisted homes, Izat Arundell’s Hebridean self-build – named Caochan na Creige – is announced as the RIBA House of the Year 2025
-
In addition to brutalist buildings, Alison Smithson designed some of the most creative Christmas cards we've seenThe architect’s collection of season’s greetings is on show at the Roca London Gallery, just in time for the holidays
-
In South Wales, a remote coastal farmhouse flaunts its modern revamp, primed for hostingA farmhouse perched on the Gower Peninsula, Delfyd Farm reveals its ground-floor refresh by architecture studio Rural Office, which created a cosy home with breathtaking views
-
A revived public space in Aberdeen is named Scotland’s building of the yearAberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens by Stallan-Brand Architecture + Design and LDA Design wins the 2025 Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award
-
The Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s houses of the monthFrom wineries-turned-music studios to fire-resistant holiday homes, these are the properties that have most impressed the Wallpaper* editors this month
-
A refreshed 1950s apartment in East London allows for moments of discoveryWith this 1950s apartment redesign, London-based architects Studio Naama wanted to create a residence which reflects the fun and individual nature of the clients
