Tikari Works’ subterranean city escape shortlisted for RIBA House of the Year 2019
Commended by the judges for its warm interiors, concise material palette and refined joinery, the Pocket House shows how intelligent planning and commitment to quality can combat any restriction
The finely crafted Pocket House in south London designed by Tikari Works has been shortlisted for the RIBA House of the Year 2019 award. On the site of a former car garage, the architects created a spacious two-bedroom house spread over three floors complete with courtyard and front garden. Wallpaper* selected Tikari Works for the Architects’ Directory 2019, our annual directory of emerging practices to watch.
To solve the problem of the restricted site, the London-based studio founded by husband-and-wife team, Nicola and Ty Tikari, switched the usual domestic plan upside-down – the bedrooms are at basement level and kitchen and dining are located on the ground floor level, where you enter the house.
The beauty of the house is that the lower space doesn't feel subterranean at all. The clever floor plan, generous lightwell, minimal walls and recessed doors forge an open-plan arrangement that breathes in air, light and even views.
The RIBA judges noted the concise material palette used across the project. While exposed, the brick, timber and concrete are finished precisely, celebrating the natural textures and surfaces of the materials. The refined detailing and high quality joinery contribute to the calm atmosphere that descends over the house. On the exterior, a unique timber screen balances daylight and privacy, while sculpturally setting this house apart from its brick neighbour
Another element of the project that impressed the judges was how the architects designed and developed the house, acting as the main contractor as well as the architects. This resulted in value for money, as well as the high degree of control over the quality that shines through on a visit to the Pocket House.
‘Every aspect of family life has been carefully considered and accommodated with warm and welcoming interiors,’ say the judges. Read more about the architects and the Pocket House here.
INFORMATION
architecture.com
tikari.co.uk
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Harriet Thorpe is a writer, journalist and editor covering architecture, design and culture, with particular interest in sustainability, 20th-century architecture and community. After studying History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Journalism at City University in London, she developed her interest in architecture working at Wallpaper* magazine and today contributes to Wallpaper*, The World of Interiors and Icon magazine, amongst other titles. She is author of The Sustainable City (2022, Hoxton Mini Press), a book about sustainable architecture in London, and the Modern Cambridge Map (2023, Blue Crow Media), a map of 20th-century architecture in Cambridge, the city where she grew up.
-
Milan Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2025 highlights: Dolce & Gabbana to Emporio Armani
Despite a reduced schedule, Milan Fashion Week Men’s arrives this weekend with plenty of intrigue, beginning with high-wattage shows from Dolce & Gabbana and Emporio Armani. Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss reports from Milan
By Jack Moss Published
-
Rio Kobayashi’s new furniture bridges eras, shown alongside Fritz Rauh’s midcentury paintings at Blunk Space
Furniture designer Rio Kobayashi unveils a new series, informed by the paintings of midcentury artist Fritz Rauh, at California’s Blunk Space
By Ali Morris Published
-
New York restaurant Locanda Verde’s second outpost will transport you to a different time and place
Locanda Verde’s expansive new Hudson Yards osteria exudes a sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere overflowing with art treasures
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
This elegant infill project slots beautifully into the London streetscape
In 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
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Don’t Move, Improve 2025: the 14 London homes adding design oomph to the everyday
The 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
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Space House: explore the brutalist London landmark’s new chapter
Space 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
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Fire-damaged Walworth Town Hall shows off majestic transformation
Walworth 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
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Hanif Kara on building materials, the transition from old to new, and a healthy dose of realism
Hanif Kara, co-founder of structural engineering practice AKT II, discusses building materials and the future of sustainability
By Emily Wright Published
-
Year in review: the top 12 houses of 2024, picked by architecture director Ellie Stathaki
The top 12 houses of 2024 comprise our finest and most read residential posts of the year, compiled by Wallpaper* architecture & environment director Ellie Stathaki
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A brutalist garden revived: the case of the Mountbatten House grounds by Studio Knight Stokoe
Tour a brutalist garden redesign by Studio Knight Stokoe at Mountbatten House, a revived classic in Basingstoke, UK
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
An eco-conscious reconfiguration of space revives a London home
An eco-conscious reimagining of a Victorian terraced home for a growing London family, THISS Studio’s Hartley House offers sustainable, spacious living
By Smilian Cibic Published