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      Echlin uses broken-plan layout to create spacious interiors within London mews house

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      A nearly six-metre-high green wall and a basement floor with a walk-on skylight are among the additions made by design and development firm Echlin to this remodelled mews house in Knightsbridge.The resulting design is described by the local firm as a “reinterpretation” of a classic London mews house, with plenty of useable and flexible space, an abundance of natural light and a strong connection to nature.

      The ground floor living space, top image, is separated from the dining area via an open shelving system, above
      Located on a quiet mews in easy reach of Hyde Park, the 225-square-metre family home is arranged across three floors and connected by a helical oak staircase, which was handmade in East Sussex.
      Entered through an oversized bronze door, the ground floor features an entrance hall cast in grey Pietra marble. This is separated from a generous living space, dining area and study via a sliding partition wall.

      The basement level features a sunken seating area and a kitchen

      The newly created basement level accommodates a large, split-level kitchen and living area while the first floor is occupied by three bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom.
      A 5.5-metre-high living wall stretches between the lower ground and ground floors.

      The ground floor dining area features banquette seating
      Each floor follows a “broken-plan” layout, in which built-in furniture and level changes help to loosely demarcate different areas.
      “The vision was to transform a small mews with compromised rooms into a contemporary home with a great feeling of space,” explained Steve Clinch, Head Architect at Echlin. “This has been achieved by opening up the plan and providing views into other spaces, allowing the full width and length of the house to be experienced.”

      The ground floor also accommodates a small study
      Wide, sliding and pocket doors create views through the different spaces, as does bespoke joinery such as the open shelving that divides the dining, study and living areas on the first floor.
      On the lower ground floor, which was added in by the firm, a sunken seating area is located beyond the kitchen and dining area. The level change is intended to create a visual separation while allowing the spaces to remain connected to each other.

      The kitchen is made from walnut wood
      The walnut kitchen has been designed by Echlin so that all utilities can be concealed behind pivoting pocket doors when the owners are entertaining.
      A walk-on skylight on the ground floor terrace is located directly above the sunken seating area to maximise the amount of daylight in the basement. This is also helped by the fully-retractable, floor-to-ceiling glass door that leads out onto a small terrace and frames the view of the green wall.

      The basement’s ceiling is a walk-on skylight
      Three bedrooms are located on the first floor, where pitched ceilings create a feeling of spaciousness while skylights ensure the spaces get plenty of daylight.The sliding doors in the master bedroom create a visual connection all the way through from the dressing area into the en-suite.

      Sliding doors lead into the master bathroom
      Much of the furniture in the house is designed by Echlin and made in collaboration with a network of skilled craftsmen. Bespoke pieces include the pale timber table on the lower ground floor, which was handmade in Brighton, while the sofas on the lower ground and ground floors come from Oxfordshire.
      According to the studio, the home’s “sense of calm and tranquillity” was created through the use of natural materials, organic textures and a gentle colour palette informed by the nearby park. Meanwhile, the use of metallic surfaces and heritage colours nod to the home’s historic location.

      Ten mews houses that take advantage of London’s backstreets

      “The current climate has placed an even greater emphasis of the importance of how our homes are designed, how we use them and its impact on our moods,” said Sam McNally, who co-founded Echlin in 2011 with Mark O’Callaghan.
      “We recognise that mood, wellbeing and happiness are all shaped by what surrounds us and we are committed to making these spaces as stylish but also as user-friendly as we can.”

      A helical staircase connects the three floors
      In a thought piece written for Dezeen last year, design writer and TV presenter Michelle Ogundehin outlined 11 ways in which the pandemic will impact the home.
      As well as predicting a return to practical kitchens and more intimate room layouts, she believes there will be a desire for more human-centric homes, where natural materials are used to benefit the occupier’s wellbeing.
      Photography is by Taran Wilkhu.

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      Dezeen Awards 2021 is open for entries

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      Dezeen Awards 2021 is now accepting entries! Enter before 31 March to take advantage of discounted early entry fees.Dezeen Awards is the most popular and accessible celebration of the world’s best architecture, interiors and design projects and studios.
      Enter before 31 March to save 20 per cent
      Standard entry prices remain unchanged for the fourth year in a row, making Dezeen Awards the most affordable and accessible awards programme in architecture and design.
      It costs just £100 per category for small companies and £200 for large companies to enter before the standard entry deadline on 2 June. But studios can save 20 per cent by entering before 31 March.
      Create an account or log in to start your entry ›
      Categories for architecture, interiors and design
      There are 36 categories this year: 10 each for architecture, interiors and design projects and two categories in each sector honouring the best established and emerging studios.
      Find out about the categories ›
      New sustainability categories
      This year we’re introducing sustainability categories for architecture, interiors and design. These three categories, sponsored by design platform Dodds & Shute, will celebrate projects that strive to reduce their impact on the earth and which make positive social and environmental contributions.
      About our judges
      Entries will be judged by a diverse panel of influential industry professionals, made up of 75 architects, designers, journalists and academics from all over the world.
      Past judges have included Norman Foster, who described Dezeen Awards as an “extraordinary endeavour”.
      Other 2020 judges included Paola Antonelli, Farshid Moussavi and Issa Diabaté.
      Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming announcements about our 2021 judges.
      Why enter Dezeen Awards?
      Dezeen Awards is organised by Dezeen, the world’s most popular and influential architecture and design magazine, and judged by a panel consisting of leading figures from the architecture and design world. This means that Dezeen Awards has unprecedented credibility and reach.
      Every longlisted entry will be published on the Dezeen Awards website and will get prestigious Dezeen Awards 2021 badges to share on social media and their own websites.
      All shortlisted entries will be featured in full in an article on Dezeen and get further badges.
      Shortlisted entries will also be entered into the Dezeen Awards 2021 Public Vote, through which the public can choose their favourite projects and studios.
      Winners will receive a hand-made trophy and a certificate.

      Winners received a bespoke, handcrafted trophy designed by AtelierNL

      Past winners have described how winning a Dezeen Award has transformed their careers. “This is one of the few awards I have won that I can associate with new opportunities arising directly as a result of winning,” said Joe Doucet, winner of seating design of the year in 2019 with his anti-terrorism public bench.
      Last year’s Dezeen Awards attracted over 4,300 entries from 85 different countries, making it one of the largest and most international awards programmes in the industry.
      Dates and prices
      Once you have paid for your Dezeen Awards entry, you do not need to make any further payments. The awards will be announced online. If we are able to hold a physical awards ceremony there may be a charge, but attendance is not obligatory.
      Our low entry prices are designed to attract smaller studios and avoid categories being dominated by large companies that can afford to enter multiple categories.
      Find out about dates and prices ›
      Join our mailing list
      Subscribe to our mailing list to receive reminders about deadlines and regular information about Dezeen Awards including news of judges.
      Sign up now ›
      Questions?
      If you have any questions, please email awards@dezeen.com and someone from the team will get back to you.
      Good luck with your entries! More

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      Chengdu reveals “futuristic” stations for its first fully-automated metro line

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      J&A and Sepanta Design have created a series of station interiors based on forms and patterns found in nature for the first unmanned metro line in Chengdu, China.Designed to provoke emotion among their visitors, the 13 stations feature fluid forms and cellular patterns informed by the local tradition of silk weaving as well as the flora and fauna found in surrounding parks.

      Above: Jincheng Avenue Station features lilac-coloured columns. Top image: Cuqiao Station is one of 13 stations designed by J&A and Sepanta Design
      The fully‐automatic, 22-kilometre line has been under construction since 2016 and forms an extension to the existing Chengdu Metro system.
      Called Line 9, it runs between the southeast and northwest of the Sichuan Province’s capital and is the first unmanned metro line in the west of China. Instead of drivers, Chengdu’s new trains communicate with each other using the 5G mobile network.

      Four “standard artistic stations” feature a similar design

      All of the line’s 13 stations are designed by Shenzhen firm Jiang & Associates Design (J&A) in collaboration with London-based studio Sepanta Design.
      According to the designers, their ambition for the project was to create spaces that would “entirely change people’s expectations” of what metro stations could be like.

      Four “feature stations” including Cuqiao, each have a unique concept
      “Chengdu metro stations are not going to be merely points of transit,” said Reza Esmaeeli, founder of Sepanta Design and Design Director at Chetwoods Architects. “They are going to be memorable spaces that offer their passengers an artistic and futuristic expression of their own culture.”
      The stations’ interiors were designed to reflect points of local, cultural interest, with the line passing through the birthplace of Sichuan silk and embroidery culture as well as a number of urban ecological parks.

      The station interiors are designed to look futuristic
      The designers divided the 13 stations into two categories: feature stations and standard artistic stations.
      The four feature stations — Incubation Park, Jincheng Avenue, Cuqiao and Jitouqiao — each have a unique concept, reflecting their local environment.

      The design for Jincheng Avenue Station nods to lotus flowers
      These themes are explored through distinct colours and materials, alongside bespoke furniture.
      At Jincheng Avenue Station, for example, the ticket hall is illuminated by curved, lilac-coloured columns reminiscent of lotus flowers in a nearby lake, while lights that resemble silkworm cocoons are installed across walkway ceilings at Cuqiao Station.

      Cuqiao Station’s lighting was designed to resemble silkworm cocoons
      The other nine “standard artistic stations” have a more uniform design, based on an abstract interpretation of embroidery techniques.
      These techniques are translated into flowing, continuous lines and patterns made up of interconnecting, cell-like forms, which are repeated across ceilings, walls, floors, columns and furniture.

      The standard artistic stations are colour-coded

      Wuchazi Bridge creates “infinite meandering path” over river in Chengdu

      Chengdu’s Line 9 follows in the footsteps of other Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou, which introduced driverless metro lines in 2010.
      Beijing opened its driverless Yanfan line in 2017, while Taiyuan, the largest city of Shanxi province, opened its first fully automated line just eight days after Chengdu, on 28 December last year.

      All the stations’ interiors are informed by forms found in nature
      In Hong Kong, Ponti Design Studio has created a concept for an autonomous, double-decker tram with a radial interior design that encourages a safe return to public transport after the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
      Photography is by CHAPA.

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      Threefold Architects unveils a model for post-Covid co-working

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      Threefold Architects has completed Paddington Works, a co-working and events space in London that was designed around wellness principles.Paddington Works combines a mix of spaces that include private studios, shared co-working spaces, meeting rooms and a multi-purpose auditorium, all arranged over two storeys.

      Paddington Works includes a mix of private studios and shared workspaces
      Workspaces are designed to be agile, providing different spaces to suit various activities. There are also a range of health-conscious building services, such as fresh air filtration and adaptive lighting systems.
      At a time when many co-working offices are trying to adjust to the changes in work habits prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic, this project offers a model for the future of shared workspaces.

      Wellness principles influenced the layout, material choices and building systems

      “I think co-working spaces could thrive if they adapt following the pandemic,” said Matt Driscoll, one of the three co-founders of Threefold Architects.
      “So much time spent working at home has brought into sharp focus the simple things we take for granted that are vital to our wellbeing,” he told Dezeen.
      “A moment to gaze out the window, an escape from Zoom for a walk in the park, impromptu chats with our neighbours; we will attribute far greater importance to these small things.”

      Spaces incorporate fresh air filtration and adaptive lighting systems
      Paddington Works builds on Threefold’s research into how incorporating wellness principles into architecture can create healthier and happier environments, which has previously fed into workspace designs for Airbnb and Pocket Living.
      These principles were central to the design brief, even though Paddington Works was designed long before the pandemic.

      Threefold Architects completes Airbnb’s latest London office

      The air circulation system, which includes anti-viral filtration, is designed to bring 25 per cent more fresh air into the building than is typical.
      Meanwhile the lighting system uses intelligent LEDs to adjust the colour temperature of the light throughout the day, to suit circadian rhythms.

      The workspaces are divided into clusters
      The layout of the interior, organised over two storeys, was also designed with occupants in mind. Spaces are divided up into clusters to allow small communities to form within the building.
      Each cluster has its meeting rooms and breakout spaces, organised around a kitchen and social space.
      “I think many of the principles of wellness are intuitive to architects – providing good natural light, visual amenity, excellent acoustics, and air quality,” said Drisscoll.

      Each cluster has its own meeting rooms and breakout spaces
      “Beyond how the spaces feel, we are also interested in how they will be used and how people move around them and interact with each other,” he continued.
      “There should be quiet places to be alone, vibrant places to collaborate, and everything in between. We’ve always put generous social spaces at the heart of our schemes, for people to come together in their downtime, spaces to support, create and promote a culture within a business.”

      A flexible auditorium can be used for both events and casual working
      At the heart of the scheme is a flexible auditorium, designed as a huge set of wooden steps. The space can be used to host lectures, screenings and presentations, but it can also be a day-to-day informal work or meeting space.
      Each step incorporates a series of pull-out “drawer desks”, which can be used for laptops or notebooks. There are also power points for charging devices.
      “It doubles as a staircase between the levels and becomes a type of forum, a public space within the building,” explained Drisscoll.

      The materials palette includes rough-sawn oak and terrazzo
      The materials palette responds to the industrial heritage of the Paddington Basin area, with steel fabrications that recall the structure of the Brunel-designed train station. These are paired with textural materials like rough-sawn oak and terrazzo.
      Many of the industrial elements of the design are concealed, for instance, perforated metal screens cover the air filtration units.

      Steel fabrications reference the area’s industrial heritage
      Paddington Works is a joint venture between co-working operator Space Paddington and Westminster Council, aimed at startups in the creative and technology industries.
      As a result of its wellness-focused design, the building was able to adopt social distancing and hygiene measures brought in by the pandemic. Contactless hand sanitisers and anti-microbial fittings were among features already included in the design.
      Drisscoll believes co-working spaces like this one will continue to become more common in the future, as companies look to adopt more flexible working models for their staff.

      Paddington Works is aimed at startups in the creative and technology industries
      “I think flexible working is here to stay,” he said. “Previously reticent organisations have seen it can work and work well; people enjoy more control of what they do.”
      “We may see a trend towards decentralisation – large organisations with acres of office and fields of desks could shift towards smaller workplaces,” he added.
      “This could see an increase in local work hubs, with co-working spaces in residential areas providing excellent places for work closer to home, and spaces close to major transport hubs allowing people to easily travel to from distance to get together.”
      Photography is by Charles Hosea.

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      Seven “Japandi” interiors that blend Japanese and Scandinavian design

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      This Dezeen Lookbook presents seven interiors that combine design influences from Japan and Scandinavia in a style that has become known as “Japandi”.A hybrid of east and west, the style is increasingly popular as a way to create interiors that are minimal without being cold. Japandi makes clever use of craftsmanship and tactile materials, such as textured wood and handmade ceramics, to add comfort and warmth.
      It features pared-back styling, precise craft and natural materials – qualities that have long been central to the design traditions of Japan, and the Nordic countries, particularly Denmark and Sweden.
      This is the latest lookbook in a series providing visual inspiration for interior designers and design lovers. Previous lookbooks in the series have showcased bathrooms with views, calm living rooms and peaceful bedrooms.

      Archipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects
      Norm Architects’ Archipelago House is a pine-clad holiday home that was designed to embody Swedish and Japanese aesthetics, a theme that comes through most clearly in the double-height living room.
      Here, the owners can lounge on furniture that Norm Architects designed together with Karimoku Case Study – the sister brand of Japanese manufacturer Karimoku.
      Creamy white and pale grey hues complement the light wood furniture in the room, where the main light source is a bespoke cone-shaped lantern. This was designed in washi paper by Japan’s Kojima Shouten, which has been making lanterns for over 230 years.
      Find out more about Archipelago House ›

      A Quiet Reflection show, Sweden, by Ariake
      An exhibition by Japanese furniture producer Ariake at Stockholm Design Week showcased the label’s wooden furniture, which was designed in collaboration with a number of designers from all over the world (above and top).
      Set in the dilapidated former Mexican embassy in Stockholm, the clean lines of the furniture stood out against the crumbling walls and stuccoed ceilings, creating a mix of texture and colour and an appreciation for older craftsmanship that perfectly embodies Japandi.
      Find out more about A Quiet Reflection ›

      Pantechnicon, UK, by Farrells
      Pantechnicon, located in a 19th-century building in London’s Belgravia neighbourhood, is home to both shops and restaurants that focus on Japanese and Nordic culture. Tenants include a cafe by French-Japanese cult record label Kitsuné and a Nordic restaurant called Eldr.
      While Pantechnicon’s interiors are pared-down, plenty of wood detailing gives the space an inviting feel, and lantern-like lights and green plants have been added to soften the minimalist aesthetic.
      Find out more about Pantechnicon ›

      Upstate New York Home, US, by Magdalena Keck
      A family with Japanese and American heritage live in this home in the Catskill Mountains, which has an interior that draws on both their backgrounds and adds plenty of Scandinavian style.
      In the open-plan living room, dining room and kitchen, a table and chairs by Danish designer Finn Juhl share the spotlight with Japanese pottery and woven mats sourced from Tokyo. Mid-century design and American crafts also feature in the house, balancing out the Japanese minimalism.
      Find out more about Upstate New York Home ›

      Izumi, Denmark, by Pan-Projects and Mok Architects
      A Japanese restaurant in Copenhagen is the perfect setting for an interior style that mixes the two cultures.
      Izumi, in the city’s Charlottenlund suburb, draws on both Japanese restaurant interiors, with translucent screens that reference traditional paper sliding doors, and Scandinavian design. This can be seen in the curving oak panels that surround the open kitchen.
      “Japan and the Nordic countries have a rich history of cultural interactions,” explained Pan-Projects’ founders Yurioko Yaga and Kazumasa Takada. “Especially in the field of design, there are many examples that are rooted originally in Japanese culture yet developed uniquely in the land of the Nordic region.”
      Find out more about Izumi ›

      K5 Tokyo Hotel, Japan, by Claesson Koivisto Rune
      A converted bank building in Tokyo, bombed during world war two, was turned into a boutique hotel by Swedish studio Claesson Koivisto Rune. The studio created a warmer interior style than is usually associated with Japandi, using tactile details and saturated hues.
      Thin blue ombre curtains evoke the traditional craft of Japanese indigo-dyeing, or aizome, while sturdy wooden room dividers nod to Scandinavian mid-century modern design. The studio based K5’s interior around the Japanese notion of “aimai”, which is used to describe things that are ambiguous or unclear.
      Find out more about K5 Tokyo Hotel ›

      Powerscroft Road townhouse, UK, by Daytrip
      As part of the renovation and expansion of this London townhouse, London-based Daytrip loosely lime-washed the walls and added polished concrete floors to create a “calm and serene home”.
      The Scandinavian influence can be seen in the warm wood details used throughout the flat – as in this dining room, where a dark-wood chair complements a dainty table underneath the window – while elegant lighting fixtures add an East Asian feel.
      A Japanese paper lamp from designer Isamu Noguchi’s Akari range stands on a wood-burning stove stacked with logs, Scandinavian-style.
      Find out more about Powerscroft Road townhouse ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing peaceful bedrooms, calm living rooms and colourful kitchens.

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      New Dezeen Lookbooks section presents curated picks of home interiors from Dezeen's archive

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      Dezeen has launched Dezeen Lookbooks, a new section featuring roundups of home interiors and decor trends to help designers and design lovers plan their projects.

      Published each Saturday, the visually driven Dezeen Lookbooks present roundups of images of contemporary interiors selected from our vast archive of over 750,000 images.
      Each roundup is curated by the Dezeen editorial team and addresses a different room and theme.

      Top: an image from our cosy living rooms lookbook. Above: a project from the peaceful bedrooms lookbook

      Lookbooks published so far feature living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms.
      Dezeen Lookbooks is a response to the surge of interest in home design since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen people spending much more time at home.
      As a result, web traffic to Dezeen posts about home interiors has soared.

      This Barcelona apartment features in our colourful kitchens lookbook
      Popular Lookbook stories we’ve published over the last few months include our showcases of living rooms with calm interiors, bold bathroom designs and thirty kitchens designed by architects.
      We’ll be adding more image-led roundups over the coming weeks and plan to expand the section to include other types of interiors plus trend reports in future.
      Interior design fans can also check out our sections on residential interiors, apartments and houses.

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      One week to go until entries for Dezeen Awards 2021 open

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      Dezeen Awards 2021 will open for entries on 2 February, with the discounted early-entry period running until 31 March. Enter your project or studio from next week on and sign up to the Dezeen Awards newsletter to receive more information!Now in its fourth year, Dezeen Awards celebrates the world’s best architecture, interiors and design and has become the benchmark for international design excellence and the ultimate accolade for architects and designers everywhere.
      The low entry prices are designed to attract smaller studios and avoid categories being dominated by large companies that can afford to enter multiple categories, making Dezeen Awards one of the most affordable programmes in the industry.

      Every longlisted and shortlisted project gets its own page on the site, and shortlisted projects will be given full editorial coverage on Dezeen.
      Shortlisted entries are also automatically entered into the Dezeen Awards public vote, where the projects and studios that are most popular with or readers will win a special certificate.
      All Dezeen Awards winners receive a bespoke hand-made trophy designed by Atelier NL and a certificate.
      Interested? Below is a reminder of our key dates so you don’t miss your chance to enter this year:
      2 February 2021
      Dezeen Awards 2021 opens for entries. Make sure you’re subscribed to the Dezeen Awards newsletter to receive updates!
      31 March 2021
      Early entry deadline. If you want to save money, submit your entry before this date.
      2 June 2021
      Standard entry deadline. This is your last chance to enter at the standard entry price!
      9 June 2021
      Late entry deadline. If you can’t get your entry in by the standard entry, don’t worry! But the entry fees will be higher.
      August 2021
      This is when we’ll publish the architecture, interiors and design longlists. Every longlisted project gets its own page on the Dezeen Awards website.
      See the 2020 longlists ›
      Early September 2021
      This is when you’ll find out if your project or product made it onto the shortlist. Every shortlisted project gets its own page on the Dezeen Awards website and also gets a dedicated write-up on Dezeen.
      See the 2020 shortlists ›
      Late September 2021
      The public vote opens. Which projects do Dezeen’s readers think are the best?
      October 2021
      We unveil the winners of the public vote.
      See the 2020 public vote winners ›
      November 2021
      Time to celebrate the best architecture, interiors and design projects and studios of the year! We announce the winners of Dezeen Awards 2021.
      See the 2020 winners ›
      Questions?
      If you have any questions about Dezeen Awards 2021 you can contact the team by emailing awards@dezeen.com. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Dezeen Awards newsletter to be sure of getting regular updates. More

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      Bureau de Change makes creative use of terrazzo in Frame House renovation

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      London studio Bureau de Change has used different varieties of terrazzo to create a richly textured interior for a remodelled family home.Frame House is a Victorian terraced home in south London, renovated and extended by Bureau de Change for a property developer and her family.

      The ground floor of Frame House is split over three levels
      The project involved adding a rear extension, converting the loft and completing revamping the interior. But most importantly, the client wanted to give the home a distinct character and coherency throughout.
      The architecture studio achieved this with a carefully planned colour and material strategy, and through playful use of geometry.

      The lounge occupies the extended rear of the house

      “The brief was to create a coherent journey through all spaces and floors,” explained architect Billy Mavropoulos, who co-founded Bureau de Change with partner Katerina Dionysopoulou.
      “We needed a holistic design, looking at everything from the architecture of the extension, to the layouts and the way the spaces are used, down to the joinery handles and details,” he told Dezeen.
      “The client was after a rich palette of finishes and colours, but one that would feel consistently part of the same narrative.”

      Different varieties of terrazzo were chosen for different areas
      As is common with Victorian terraces, Frame House has a split-level layout that helps to make the floor plan more efficient.
      In the new layout, the ground floor is divided over three levels, comprising the kitchen, dining space and lounge. The two split-level upper storeys contain three en-suite bedrooms, a separate bathroom and a study room.
      Terrazzo was the material that Mavropoulos and Dionysopoulou chose to unite the various spaces. It is a material the pair are familiar with, having previously used it in another residential project, Folds House.

      Different shades of taupe feature on each of the ground floor levels
      Here, they decided to work with different varieties of terrazzo to give each space its own character, while subtly tying them all together.
      On the ground floor the flooring is a taupe terrazzo in three slightly different shades – one for each level. This creates a gentle transition from light to dark, starting with the kitchen at the front of the house and ending with the lounge at the rear.

      A green marble terrazzo was chosen for the staircase handrail
      “We chose them very carefully so that they are all of the same family but vary in darkness/density,” said Mavropoulos.
      “The colour difference is very subtle as we did not want the floor to take over. But when you look closely you notice the difference.”
      Other details have been picked out contrasting terrazzo varieties: a kitchen island features shades of red and black, the staircase handrails are a green marble terrazzo, and each bathroom has its own different shade.

      The master bedroom on the first floor features an en-suite with grey terrazzo
      The geometries of the design are based around the rear extension, which gives the occupants a large living space.
      Keen to avoid the 45-degree angled roof and frameless glass typical of infill extensions, the architects opted for a more cuboidal approach. Steel frames create staggered glass boxes, which Mavropoulos and Dionysopoulou liken to museum display cases.

      The new loft bedroom features an en-suite with pale terrazzo and pink walls
      “When we looked at the cascading volumes in plan and section, we felt there was an element of fragility to them, almost like a jewel stone, so we decided to make them out of glass to enhance that feel,” said Mavropoulos.
      “These distinctly cubist glass volumes are articulated through their bold steel-frame construction, expressing each edge in a manner that creates shifting patterns of light and space, and a paradoxical sense of both levity and solidity,” added Dionysopoulou.

      The terrazzo also extends into the garden, forming cascading planters
      These cascading box forms are referenced in other places, such as the proportions of the split floor levels, or the planting boxes in the garden. There’s also a glass display case in the dining area.
      Other details contribute to the personality of these spaces. The lounge room brings together a floral-patterned rug and a large cactus plant, while the dining space features a wall of shelving filled with various objects and books.
      The architects hope the result is one of “theatre and tactility”.
      Photography is by Gilbert McCarragher.
      Project credits
      Architect: Bureau de ChangeInteriors: Bureau de ChangeEngineer: SymmetrysM&E: MWLContractor: Argyll LondonLandscape: Tulip Landscapes

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