A former Methodist church in Islington has been converted by West Architecture into a minimal live/work space for the founding director of The School of Life, Morgwn Rimel. Simple and functional adaptations were designed to release unused space and separate the living and working areas.
The renovation involved a dormer extension, the rebuilding of an existing mezzanine and an upgrade of all facilities, giving the double-height space a completely new life.
‘The large volume of the existing space made it perfect for the introduction of the mezzanine,’ says architect Graham West, who rebuilt a small existing mezzanine, opening up the ceiling to the room below. The simplicity of the exposed timber mezzanine, suspended from the roof on slender steel rods and reached by a folded steel-plate staircase floating just above the floor, became emblematic of the whole design: functional, minimal and stripped back.
Take an interactive tour of Bavaria Road Studio
Rimel became the owner of the property mid-way through the project, yet kept West Architecture on to help her create a space that reflected her design ethos and lifetsyle. ‘She was looking for something with an extremely high attention to detail and finish that was free from clutter and extraneous details. Somewhere without distractions for study, contemplation and recharging,’ says West.
Working with Rimel, West designed the new bedroom, which can be reached by another compact exposed timber stairway. ‘It works much better now as a place to work because of the introduction of the new bedroom – you can now isolate resting and working. Once you step over the threshold of the staircase and into the new room the you feel completely separated from daily tasks and work associated with the main space.’
Enclosed within a stressed skin plywood box, the bedroom becomes an independent sanctuary and echoes the design of the mezzanine level. Built with birch and spruce-faced plywood, the inner walls, floors, doors and architraves blend into a minimal panelled room.
The historic confines of the former church were a challenge for the architects: ‘The form and scale of the dormer extension had to respond [to] the building’s heritage status, in particular oblique views from adjacent street as well as privacy in relation to other dwellings within the same building,’ says West
A compact stairway leads up to the new bedroom, linking yet also separating the live and work spaces
A sliding plywood screen in the bedroom allows light and privacy to be altered
Timber is used across the space unifying the zones through material continuity
The inner walls, floors and doors of the bedroom are built with birch and spruce-faced plywood, creating a minimal panelled room
In the bathroom, the original resin floor was re-poured to create a smooth surface
The kitchen and bathroom facilities were all upgraded to reflect the ethos of the new design
The property features in the wellness feature of our January 2017 issue (W* 214), where we advise on a 24-hour reboot plan for your health and happiness, inspired by owner Morgwn Rimel
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the West Architecture website
-
Introducing Wallpaper’s new video series, The Stuff That SurroundsIn The Stuff That Surrounds, Wallpaper* explores a life through objects. First up, we go inside the eclectic Barbican flat of creative director and designer Veronica Ditting
-
A new London design show explores material magic with medieval melancholyInspired by deconsecrated monasteries, curator Jermain Gallacher takes us on a journey through time and mood in a London exhibition at The Ragged School
-
William Morris mania meets the design industry’s darker side in a new London show‘Morris Mania’ at the William Morris Gallery explores the British designer’s complicated legacy in an ever-more commodified world
-
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’
-
An architect’s own home offers a refined and leafy retreat from its East London surroundingsStudioshaw has completed a courtyard house in amongst a cluster of traditional terraced houses, harnessing the sun and plenty of greenery to bolster privacy and warmth
