skylights

Subterms

    Latest story

    138 Shares129 Views

    Studio Varey Architects celebrates natural light in Notting Hill house renovation

    by

    London firm Studio Varey Architects has simplified this Victorian terraced house to create a light-filled home in Notting Hill, with timber-framed skylights designed to catch the sun.

    Set in the Westbourne Conservation Area, Huron House has belonged to its current owners for the last 25 years.
    Huron House is a renovated Victorian terrace in west LondonThe overhaul of the 19th-century building started as a simple ground-floor renovation to replace the kitchen and improve the connection between the house and its garden.
    However, exploratory works showed the four-storey property to be in bad structural condition, which demanded major improvement works but also gave the owners an opportunity to reimagine their period home.
    Decorative oak beams frame the skylight in the extensionThe new brief to Studio Varey Architects included a full house renovation and interior design, with special emphasis on the bathrooms as well as custom joinery and the rebuilding of the 1990s rear extension to create a new open-plan kitchen and dining room.

    “Our goal was to create an open-plan living space and bring lots of natural light into the ground floor, helping it to feel more inviting and better suited to entertaining friends and family,” the studio told Dezeen.
    A simple white staircase leads upstairsThe property sits on a rough east-west axis, giving it the potential to achieve great light levels throughout the day, with the sun moving from the back of the house in the morning to the front in the afternoon.
    “We wanted to ensure this natural light was captured through the architecture and design of the spaces,” the studio said.
    On the ground floor, Studio Varey Architects removed a structural post that supported the building but divided the back wall.
    A skylight illuminates the top-floor bathroomThis has been replaced with a steel frame, which allowed the studio to introduce slimline aluminium sliding doors that now run along the whole back of the property.
    An existing skylight in the flat roof here was enlarged and framed with oak beams, pulling more light into the centre of the hybrid kitchen-dining space.
    “Natural light cascades into the back of the house, while the introduction of oak beams created a feature that plays with the light as it travels through the property,” the studio said.

    Office S&M uses colour and geometry to create Graphic House in London

    The whole staircase was replaced and positioned further away from the home’s large rear windows, creating a lightwell funnels sun into the lower floors.
    On the top floor, an existing bathroom was fully renovated. Situated in the middle of the top floor it featured no windows save for a small skylight, meaning that light levels were totally inadequate.
    Here, Studio Varey Architects cut back the ceiling to create a multifaceted surface clad in birch plywood – its colour knocked back with a wash of soft white – to bounce light around the space.
    The ceiling was cut back to allow more light into the interior”We created a splayed ceiling that increased the height of the space, allowing for the playful integration of materials to emphasise the new angles,” the studio said.
    “Naturally finished birch ply, leading from the skylight down into Tadelakt walls, beautifully captures sunlight creating a special warmth in the space.”
    Oak forms bookcases in the sitting romWhite oak can be found throughout the house in the form of built-in joinery from bookcases and wardrobes, as well as in the feature beams of the extension.
    “We wanted to simplify the material palette and keep it light, both in appearance and number of elements we used,” the studio said.
    “This was done to emphasise the quality of the materials themselves, highlight the craftsmanship of the work and establish a visual link between the interior spaces throughout the home.”
    Oak joinery features in the primary bedroomPolished concrete, used for the floor at ground level, is underlaid with underfloor heating and provides a durable surface that is easy to clean for the owners after walking their dog.
    Other recently renovated houses in London include Sunderland Road House by 2LG, which features pastel-painted corniced ceilings, and Graphic House by Office S&M, which is defined by graphic shapes and bold hues.
    The photography is by Taran Wilkhu.

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 113 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Benedetti Architects uncovers forgotten Victorian skylights inside BAFTA headquarters

      by

      The Grade II-listed BAFTA headquarters in London’s Picadilly have received an overhaul from local studio Benedetti Architects, who raised the roof to squeeze in a new top floor while unifying its disparate interiors.

      Constructed in 1883, the building originally served as the Royal Institute of Painting in Watercolours and was adapted ad hoc over the subsequent years before the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) took over in 1976.
      Benedetti Architects was brought on board in 2016 after winning a competition to completely rework the space.
      Benedetti Architects renovated the BAFTA headquarters in London. Photo by Rory MulveyScrambling around in the loft as part of his research, project lead Renato Benedetti discovered two vast Victorian roof lanterns, complete with ornate plasterwork, that had been boarded up more than 40 years prior when BAFTA created a cinema in the space below.
      The practice’s pitch centred on lifting up the roof and turning the loft into a members’ area, with the two huge skylights being removed, restored and reinstated as the crowning glory of the new top storey.

      “BAFTA loved the idea although they didn’t think it was possible,” Benedetti told Dezeen. “But that’s exactly what we did and it has been the driver for the whole project.”
      The studio uncovered the building’s two hidden skylightsMoulds were made before the intricate plaster was carefully removed, allowing specialist restorers to match new sections seamlessly with the original design.
      Other than the roof lights, almost all the building’s original features such as flooring and staircases were lost as sections of the building were rented out by different tenants over its haphazard history.
      Under the bank of seating in the cinema though, the team found just enough of the original oak flooring to fit inside the new top-floor boardroom.
      “The long strips were quite damaged, so we cut them down to shorter lengths and laid them in a geometric pattern,” said Benedetti.
      Ornate plater mouldings were carefully restoredSimilarly, the remaining bits of marble from different schemes around the BAFTA headquarters were collaged together to create a statement countertop for the boardroom.
      The room is centred by an oval timber table, which the studio designed to feel “more friendly and less hierarchical” than a typical boardroom, complete with comfortable “wrap-around” chairs that can also be stacked.
      “We used a character grade of oak with big knots and imperfections, which I love,” said Benedetti. “It makes the timber more interesting.”
      The BAFTA boardroom is centred on an oval wooden table. Photo by James NewtonElsewhere across the building, responsibly sourced European oak was laid in a variety of patterns to cover floors and walls.
      For the main circulation areas such as the entrance hall and the stairs, the studio used an ivory-coloured terrazzo with brass trims peeking out between the large-format tiles.
      Brass accents are repeated throughout the building on handrails, trims, lighting and on the reveals around the lifts. “Here, the sheet brass has a slight sheen, a little lustre but not too blingy,” said Benedetti.

      Benedetti Architects chosen to refurbish RIBA headquarters

      The terrazzo, too, is flecked with gold-coloured specks that increase in quantity as the user ascends up through the building and peak on the members’ floor at the top.
      “The top floor feels like the culmination, the crescendo of the space,” said Benedetti.
      This same idea is repeated across the walls, with the lower floors wrapped in stained-oak slats punctuated by black acoustic panels while on the members’ floor, there’s a more refined profile to the oak slats and the panels are replaced by a brass mesh.
      The new top floor houses a members’ area. Photo by Jim StephensonTravertine is the final key element of the headquarters’ material palette, used in huge slabs and as fluted tiles as well as forming one of the building’s bars.
      “It has a great texture and it has been in use since Roman times, so it’s quite timeless,” the architect explained.
      The building’s trio of roof lanterns, including the two that were newly uncovered, now sit over the David Attenborough rooms – a members’ area that looks out across the tree canopy of St James’ churchyard.
      A red marble bar inspired the colour palette for the adjacent cinema. Photo by Thomas AlexanderThe furniture here was chosen by the architect in collaboration with Soho Home – the interiors arm of members’ club Soho House.
      To reduce heat gain and keep out harmful UV rays, the roof lights are integrated with solar shading windows by Dutch company Eyrise.
      “It’s an interesting new material, from the inside it appears to be clear, but from outside it looks almost black,” Benedetti explained.
      European oakwood panelling features throughout the interior. Photo by Jim StephensonThe members’ floor also houses a new intimate 41-seat cinema, its rich red colour palette informed the choice of red Italian marble for the adjacent bar.
      The larger original cinema was completely updated in partnership with Dolby, integrating a high-tech audio-visual system.
      Meanwhile, the Ray Dolby Room is designed as a versatile event space, where the conventionally wood-panelled walls and moulded ceiling can be quickly transformed into a space for 360-degree wall-mapping projections.
      The Ray Dolby Room can be used for 360-degree wall-mapping projections. Photo by Jordan AndersonBenedetti was recently named as the architect on another high-profile renovation in the British capital – the £20-million revamp of the Grade II-listed RIBA headquarters.
      Previously, the architect was one half of McDowell+Benedetti, which was known for innovative bridge designs including Hull’s Scale Lane Bridge and Castleford Bridge in West Yorkshire before the duo disbanded in 2016.
      The photography is by Luca Piffaretti unless otherwise stated.
      Jorda Anderson, Thomas Alexander, Rory Mulvey, James Newton, and Jim Stephenson.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares109 Views

      in Rooms

      Ten atriums that brighten and expand residential spaces

      by

      A Montreal home with a trapeze net, a warehouse conversion in London and an Indian home with a monolithic marble facade are among the residences in this lookbook, which feature atriums as a central aspect of their design.

      Atriums – large spaces, surrounded by a building, that are either open-air or feature skylights – were originally used in Roman homes, where they functioned more like a courtyard.
      Modern atriums typically feature in larger buildings and are cavernous spaces that stretch up for stories.
      For residential architecture, architects who want to include atrium spaces have to scale down the size, but that doesn’t mean that homes can’t have the loft ceilings and ample light provided by atriums.

      In these homes, the central space is open, with skylights and glass ceilings bringing light into the heart of the structure.
      Atriums provide an option for airiness when confronted with constructing homes on busy city streets where exterior views are not always desirable.
      Often, the other rooms and spaces are all accessed from the atrium space, and many times trees feature in these lofty spaces.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing floating staircases, calm green bedrooms and organic modern interiors.
      The photo is by Adrien WilliamsAtrium Townhome, Canada, by Robitaille Curtis
      When dealing with limited space in city buildings, an atrium can open up the inside of the home. For this Montreal Townhome, Canadian studio Robitalle Curtis oriented the white-walled interiors around a triple-height atrium.
      The atrium is in the centre of the house and extends up from the open-layout kitchen upwards. A skylight brings light into the void and the open space is punctuated by a trapeze that forms a children’s play area on the top floor.
      Find out more about Atrium Townhome ›
      The photo is by Yohei SasakuraMargin House, Japan, by Kohei Yukawa
      Kohei Yukawa of Yukawa Design Lab designed this home for himself in Ibaraki City, north of Osaka. The corrugated-metal-clad home features a central atrium with a small tree.
      Instead of being completely topped by a skylight, the atrium fits into the slanted volume of the home. A wall of glass accompanies it on one side and at the top two clerestory windows bring light into the void.
      Find out more about Margin House ›
      The photo is by Glen GeryLa Clairière, USA, by Studio PHH
      Brooklyn-based Studio PHH connected two wood-and-brick-clad volumes with a double-height atrium that serves as the living room for this New Jersey home.
      The space has floor-to-ceiling glass on two sides where it faces the outdoors and is filled by a central staircase that leads to a mezzanine. Two large circular skylights brighten the space from above.
      Find out more about La Clairière ›
      The photo is by Rory GardinerBethnal Green warehouse apartment, UK, by Paper House Project
      UK studio Paper House Project’s design for this London home saw the studio turn an open-office space in an old warehouse into a residence. In order to add bedrooms to the space while still maintaining natural light on the first floor, the studio incorporated an atrium topped by skylights.
      The double-height atrium is lined with gridded windows that also bring light into the bedrooms above. Instead of a tree, the void of the atrium is filled by a sculptural chandelier.
      Find out more about this warehouse conversion ›

      Tawainese home, Taiwan, by KC Design Studio
      KC Design Studio was tasked with bringing extra light into this 50-year-old home in Tawain. In order to do so, an atrium-like central void was created.
      A metal stairway follows the atrium up three levels, creating a central flow through the home and bringing in plenty of natural light. Plants have been hung from the exposed structural rafters to take advantage of the sunlight and add life to the design.
      Find out more about this Taiwanese home ›
      The photo is by Hiroyuki OkiHouse for Daughter, Vietnam, by Khuôn Studio
      This house in Ho Chi Min City by Khuôn Studio features a massive triple-height atrium that splits the two sections of the home, one of which is used by the full-time residents and one by their daughter.
      The atrium features public spaces, a tree and a series of skylights that bring in light to the cavernous volume. The edges of the rooms on either side protrude into the area and are rounded, adding a softness to the atrium space.
      Find out more about House for Daughter ›
      The photo is by Photo André Jeanpierre Fanthome and Suryan//DangCleft House, India, by Anagram Architects
      This New Delhi house by Anagram Architects features two monumental marble blocks that are split by a massive atrium. The four-storey atrium is topped by a glass ceiling and even has a glass-lined elevator shaft on one wall.
      A massive spiral staircase fills the void and plant-filled public areas are arranged throughout the space. Balconies for rooms on the upper floor have been positioned to look out over the atrium, giving the impression of an open-air space.
      Find out more about Cleft House ›
      The photo is by Andres Garcia LachnerJungle Frame House, Costa Rica, by Studio Saxe
      Studio Saxe oriented this steel-framed home in Costa Rica around a “tropical atrium”. The three-storey atrium is lined by glass and wooden louvres so that the jungle is visible from much of the home.
      Because of the wooden slats, the ground floors have shadows similar to the floor of the jungle with the shadows of the overstory. At the bottom of the atrium space is the living room, which extends outside into a wrap-around patio.
      Find out more about Jungle Frame House ›
      The photo is by Hey!CheeseHouse H, Taiwan, by HAO Design
      The atrium was achieved in this home in Kaohsiung by removing the interior staircase and putting it outdoors. HAO Design decided that orienting the home around an atrium was the best way to take advantage of the space left by the staircase.
      A skylight at the top illuminates the kitchen and a variety of other living spaces are positioned as mezzanines on the upper floors. The home now serves as a cafe and furniture store.
      Find out more about House H ›
      The photo is by Albers StudioThe Lomas House, Mexico, by Arqueodigma Studio 
      Because of the busy area of Guadalajara where this home is located,  Arqueodigma decided to orient it inwards. The central public areas of the home are arranged around a triple-height atrium covered by a skylight.
      In the space are trees that rise up into the open area left open in the wooden ceiling. The public spaces on the ground floor were left mostly open so that the atrium can diffuse light through much of the home.
      Find out more about The Lomas House ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing floating staircases, calm green bedrooms and organic modern interiors.

      Read more: More

    • 88 Shares179 Views

      in Rooms

      Ten residential interiors illuminated by statement skylights

      by

      A New York townhouse with elliptical openings features in our latest lookbook, which collects 10 residential projects brightened up by skylights.

      A skylight is a window placed on a roof, which is generally positioned at an angle so that natural light from the sky can illuminate the interior space below it.
      Architects and designers often use skylights in their projects as an alternative to traditional windows, whether it is for the purpose of giving a building a greater sense of privacy or simply as a decorative source of light.
      A similar effect can be reached by installing clerestory windows, which are windows that sit very high up on walls.
      From a weekend retreat in Norway to an Australian island home, we have collected 10 residential interiors with striking skylights.

      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing compact bedrooms, innovative room dividers and self-designed studios by architects and designers.
      Photo is by Michael MoranOculi House, USA, by O’Neill Rose Architects
      Local office O’Neill Rose Architects transformed this New York City brownstone, which was previously characterised by dark interior spaces, using two elliptical skylights.
      The curved openings were carved out of the property’s white plaster ceiling, while rectilinear glass doors also contribute to the home’s airy atmosphere.
      Called Oculi House, the project was shortlisted for a 2019 Dezeen Award in the house interior of the year category.
      Find out more about Oculi House ›
      Photo is by Einar AslaksenWeekend House Fredrikstad, Norway, by Line Solgaard
      The pyramid-shaped skylight that tops this coastal holiday home illuminates its interior spaces, including an oak-lined dining room with vast windows that look towards the sea.
      Norweigan studio Line Solgaard added darker cabinets and flooring to the kitchen, which contrast with the shafts of natural light that flood the space and create dramatic shadows.
      Find out more about Weekend House Fredrikstad ›
      Photo is by Peter ClarkeCasa X, Australia, by Branch Studio Architects
      A mid-century armchair and rounded Muuto coffee tables sit beneath clerestory windows at Casa X, a home on Australia’s Phillip Island by Branch Studio Architects that also has a number of large skylights.
      “Three ‘pop-up’ high-level windows or light-catchers allow northern light to penetrate deep into the house throughout the day,” explained the studio.
      Find out more about Casa X ›
      Photo is courtesy of Fala AtelierHouse in Lisbon by Fala Atelier
      Porto architecture firm Fala Atelier converted a windowless garage in Lisbon into a bright living space that was opened up by placing skylights on the roof and painting the walls white.
      Pops of colour brighten up the spacious interior. In the kitchen area, a teal-hued, funnel-shaped extractor fan is suspended above a long marble counter.
      Find out more about this Lisbon home ›
      Photo is courtesy of Yoshihara McKeePhotographer’s Loft, USA, by Yoshihara McKee
      Natural light enters this Chelsea apartment via an angled skylight that illuminates the dwelling, which is located on the ground floor despite its name, Photographer’s Loft.
      Architecture studio Yoshihara McKee removed the apartment’s existing full-height partitions in order to make the most of the skylight, which frames sculptural furniture in neutral shades.
      Find out more about Photographer’s Loft ›
      Photo is by James FlorioADU, USA, by Tres Birds Workshop
      Architecture firm Tres Birds Workshop created an operable skylight from dichroic glass in this accessory dwelling unit (ADU), which is located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
      The multicoloured glass was added to the building’s triangular timber roof in a position that means that light is cast all over the interior spaces.
      “As the angle of the sun changes throughout the day and season, so do the visual effects within the living space, creating a vibrant show of coloured light throughout,” explained Tres Birds.
      Find out more about this ADU ›
      Photo is by Aryeh KornfeldMogro House, Chile, by Rodolfo Cañas
      Morgo House in Santiago features a protruding stainless steel volume with an oversized skylight that gave the property its nickname, Skylight House.
      Chilean architect Rodolfo Cañas also inserted a floating metal staircase into the volume, which leads to the roof. Monochrome furniture was chosen to mirror the palette of steel and exposed concrete used throughout the house.
      Find out more about Mogro House ›
      Photo is by Katsuya TairaHouse with a Light Void, Japan, by FujiwaraMuro Architects
      Privacy is achieved in this home in Japan by FujiwaraMuro Architects through a series of geometric skylights that replace traditional windows.
      Each of these openings is arranged above five cement-clad volumes that are positioned within the minimal project, which is aptly named House with a Light Void.
      Find out more about House with a Light Void ›
      Photo is by José CamposCasa Boavista, Portugal, by Pablo Pita Architects
      Casa Boavista is a Porto townhouse located on a busy street, which was renovated to include skylights on multiple levels to afford the property a sense of privacy.
      Pablo Pita Architects added an extension to the back of the house as well as a new storey on top of it, while a trio of skylights illuminate the neutral interiors in three different places.
      Find out more about Casa Boavista ›
      Photo is by Andy StaggHouse in London by R2 Studio
      A bold colour palette takes centre stage in every room of this Victorian London home that was livened up by local practice R2 Studio.
      Central to the renovation is one of two feature staircases, which has a bright orange hue accentuated by a skylight that adds warmth to the already colourful interiors.
      Find out more about this London home ›
      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 basement conversions, co-working spaces and residential interiors with plaster walls.

      Read more: More