When enlisted for the interior overhaul of a terraced four-storey property in the heart of London’s Redchurch Street conservation area, Threefold Architects knew they had a challenge in their hands, describing the original space as ‘crowded and claustrophobic’. The result was Fissure House, a bright and open family home, which takes its name from the dramatic vertical void (or ‘fissure’) that runs internally along one side of the property.
Previously inhabited by a photographer, the old structure’s interior was cramped and closed off, with no external access. The new owners, a small family, tasked the architects with transforming it into a highly functional, bright and contemporary living space. Threefold duly obliged, completely reworking the structural and architectural program of the home to create an open and sunlit interior, equipped with terraces on three of its four levels.
The house’s defining feature is none other than the aforementioned void. The vertical element greets guests when they enter the property and sets the tone for the whole project. Light floods in via little glass panels scattered on the higher floors, which also provides little viewing windows that provides sneak peeks of visitors as they climb though the building's social spaces.
Take an interactive tour of Fissure House
The master bedroom, main bathroom and a slightly smaller secondary bedroom sit on the ground floor, shielded from the street by a frosted glass panel that ensures privacy for the residents. Living spaces are spread across the floors above.
The architect’s choice to flip the conventional residential program on its head allowed them to play with the interior arrangement more. For example, there is an influx of light via the home’s series of staggered interior balconies, which were created by cutting back each of the floor plates on the upper levels. On the first floor the kitchen and dining area can be found, while the second level houses the livingroom and the third and final floor is a cosy office space.
Architects and clients worked together on the interior atmosphere, opting for details that remain sensitive to the site’s heritage, such as exposed brick, locally sourced brass fixtures and custom joinery composed from Valchromat – a material similar to MDF, but coloured through, so that it allows for flawless milled detailing in the bespoke cabinetry.
A series of staggered interior balconies allow for an influx of light in all the rooms, as well as for welcome visual connections between the house’s social areas
The architects and the clients worked together to envision the interior atmosphere, opting for details that remain sensitive to the property’s historical context
Locally sourced brass fixtures are featured throughout, along with custom joinery composed from Valchromat, a material similar to MDF
Threefold completely reworked the structural and architectural program of the home to create an open, bright and spacious living area with a terrace on each of its upper levels
The first floor is home to the kitchen and dining area, the second level houses the property’s living space and the top floor, pictured, is a cosy office space
INFORMATION
For further information, visit Threefold Architects’ website
-
NAMM 2025 round-up: ten take-aways from the world's most important music showCalifornia's annual NAMM show brings musical instrument manufacturers big and small to show off their latest wares and audio innovations. Here are ten of the best from 2025
-
Santa Monica hotspot The Georgian Room is a rare, well-done steakhouse speakeasyHidden inside The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica, a restored speakeasy that lovingly nods to its storied past
-
In St Barths, Cheval Blanc is an oceanside oasis soaking in turquoise viewsFollowing its 10th anniversary, Cheval Blanc St-Barth continues to shine as a pearl of the Caribbean
-
We celebrate the emerging London architects to be excited aboutThese emerging London architects are some of the capital's finest ground-breakers, movers and shakers; heralding a new generation of architecture
-
From a mobile pub to a thatched canopy: Japanese architecture and craft explored at AA show in London'Distillation of Architecture', a new AA show in London, pairs architects with materials and makers in an exploration of craft through the Japanese lens
-
A library in a London telephone box? This is a charming reading nook full of surprisesSet in a restored London telephone box, Upper Street Little Library is a cosy beacon to encourage reading to the wider community
-
This revamped east London terraced house is a music lover’s dreamAn east London terraced house gets a boost of personality and sustainability thanks to Archmongers, whose transformation makes room for the owners’ creativity and extensive record collection
-
This elegant infill project slots beautifully into the London streetscapeIn this infill project, a row of garages in Blackheath, south-east London, has been replaced by a contemporary family home by local practice Mailen Design
-
Don’t Move, Improve 2025: the 14 London homes adding design oomph to the everydayThe shortlist for Don’t Move, Improve 2025 has been announced, revealing 14 residential projects across London that add value and pizazz to their inhabitants’ daily lives
-
Space House: explore the brutalist London landmark’s new chapterSpace House, a landmark of brutalist architecture by Richard Seifert & Partners in London’s Covent Garden, is back following a 21st-century redesign by Squire & Partners and developer Seaforth Land
-
Fire-damaged Walworth Town Hall shows off majestic transformationWalworth Town Hall gets a much-needed reimagining by Feix & Merlin, who transformed the heritage building into a contemporary workspace and a hub of its local community in south London
