Vabel Lawrence’s raw luxury is a nod to loft-style living
The Vabel Lawrence residences bring industrial, loft-inspired aesthetics to a north London neighbourhood
Walking past the Vabel Lawrence housing development on its sleepy, tree-lined street in north London, you’d be forgiven for thinking for a second that you were somewhere in New York. With its exposed brick, metalwork and recessed balconies, the latest in a series of residential schemes in the capital by real estate expert Vabel feels both of its place and time, and also timelessly modern, nodding to loft-style living and the apartment blocks of Manhattan.
Vabel Lawrence: raw and luxurious contemporary living
Indeed, loft living and the raw qualities of industrial architecture were a key starting point for the project – as was its location, in a part of Seven Sisters formerly occupied by warehouses. Following the dynamic company's 'Warehouse Living, Made Modern' concept, Vabel Lawrence aims to create subtle space with a soul, crafted by a dedicated in-house design team.
Vabel's creative director and co-founder Jeremy Spencer says: 'Vabel Lawrence is the culmination of our dedication to delivering homes that prioritise space and reflect the way people want to live, all while being mindful of delivering quality and genuine value. We put a huge amount of thought into how people want to live their lives.'
'We’ve worked diligently to create homes with a truly holistic approach from conception, as well as a design and build quality not typically associated with this price point. This development offers true Londoners the opportunity to live in their very own Vabel-designed sanctuary: a harmonious blend of history and the contemporary, providing residents with a very special place to call home. We’ve all fallen in love with Seven Sisters – it’s such an eclectic area that needs to be celebrated; by contrast, Lawrence Road has a wonderfully calm and peaceful energy.'
The design intends to tell a story of the site's past in textile and clothing manufacturing. Crafted details and strategically exposed materials reveal that care and thought were not spared for the sake of a raw aesthetic.
The development spans 71 homes, with a small family of generous penthouses (pictured here) crowning the top and offering long, unobstructed vistas towards the London skyline. And while the penthouses have the biggest terraces, all homes provide outdoor space.
Fittings were largely designed by Vabel bespoke – from the minimalist yet warm kitchens, to lighting and storage space. Exposed concrete, birch plywood, quartz worktops and glazed bronze tile splashbacks make for a neutral, textured backdrop with pops of colour that add character throughout.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
An open garden at the heart of the development is designed by Livingstone Eyre Associates, whose landscape encourages existing wildlife to take over and coexist with the scheme's new, human inhabitants.
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).
-
Clocking on: the bedside analogue timepieces that won’t alarm your aesthetic
We track down the only tick-tocks that matter, nine traditional alarm clocks that tell the time with minimum fuss and maximum visual impact
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Architecture, sculpture and materials: female Lithuanian artists are celebrated in Nîmes
The Carré d'Art in Nîmes, France, spotlights the work of Aleksandra Kasuba and Marija Olšauskaitė, as part of a nationwide celebration of Lithuanian culture
By Will Jennings Published
-
‘There is more work to be done in the garden’: Dries Van Noten on deciding to grow his burgeoning beauty line
For Dries Van Noten, 2024 has been a landmark year. After stepping down from fashion in June, the designer speaks to Wallpaper* about a new focus on nurturing the brand’s beauty line and spending more time in his beloved garden
By Hannah Tindle Published
-
Capability House blends contemporary architecture and historical landscape in rural England
Capability House is a modern retreat by Dedraft set in the historical landscape of green, Capability Brown-designed grounds in rural England's Aynhoe Park Estate
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A Peckham house design unlocks a spatial puzzle in south London
Audacious details, subtle colours and a product designer for a client make this Peckham house conversion a unique spatial experience
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Squire & Partners' radical restructure: 'There are a lot of different ways up the firm to partnership'
Squire & Partners announces a radical restructure; we talk to the late founder Michael Squire's son, senior partner Henry Squire, about the practice's new senior leadership group, its next steps and how architecture can move on from 'single leader culture'
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Meet the 2024 Royal Academy Dorfman Prize winner: Livyj Bereh from Ukraine
The 2024 Royal Academy Dorfman Prize winner has been crowned: congratulations to architecture collective Livyj Bereh from Ukraine, praised for its rebuilding efforts during the ongoing war in the country
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
RIBA House of the Year 2024: browse the shortlist and pick your favourite
The RIBA House of the Year 2024 shortlist is out, celebrating homes across the UK: it's time to place your bets. Which will win the top gong?
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The new Canada Water boardwalk is an experience designed to ‘unfold slowly’
A new Canada Water bridge by Asif Khan acts as a feature boardwalk for the London area's town centre, currently under development, embracing nature and wildlife along the way
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The Museum of Shakespeare set to open in east London
The Museum of Shakespeare puts the remains of the ancient Curtain Playhouse at the centre of 'The Stage', a new urban development in the heart of Shoreditch
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
Paddington Square transforms its patch of central London with its 'elevated cube'
Paddington Square by Renzo Piano Building Workshop has been completed, elevating a busy London site through sustainability, modern workspace and a plaza
By Ellie Stathaki Published