Halliwick Road, London N10

Occupying a peaceful position in the heart of Muswell Hill is this verdant plot of land. The proposed scheme is a rare opportunity to build a two-storey contemporary house spanning over 2,500 sq ft, designed by the award-winning architecture practice Architecture for London. The plans present a set of versatile, voluminous, light-filled living spaces that are largely open plan and flow seamlessly into the immaculately landscaped garden at the rear. A tremendous sense of continuity and flow prevails in the plans through the use of a coherent material palette inspired by local Edwardian architecture. Planned with energy efficiency in mind, the scheme is also designed to achieve Passivhaus certification. Full details of the planning documents can be found here.

The Architect

Architecture for London is an award-winning RIBA chartered practice founded by director and architect Ben Ridley. The practice takes a collaborative approach to architecture, landscaping and design, working on all scales, from furniture to bespoke private homes and commercial developments.

Its work draws inspiration from the existing built fabric of London and, crucially, is informed by the immediate site context. This considered approach creates beautiful and contextual buildings, which thoughtfully reimagine new ways to live. Environmental impact is a key to their designs. The practice takes a research-based, fabric-first approach to sustainability that carefully considers the embodied energy of materials and the performance of buildings in use.

The Tour

Influenced by the roughcast render and radius details of vernacular Edwardian architecture, Architecture for London have created the plans for an impressive home with a neutral palette of timber, textured lime plaster and natural stone, resulting in a  crisp and minimal interior aesthetic. Arranged in reverse, the main living spaces will occupy the entirety of the ground floor, with four bedrooms set on the lower-ground floor, cleverly positioned around several beautiful courtyard gardens that will allow for an exceptional quality of natural light to pour through.

The primary entrance will be set back from the road and will open directly onto the long hallway, adjacent to a bike store, utility room and bathroom with shower. From here, a short stairway will lead into a vast open-plan kitchen and living area, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame beautiful views across the leafy rear garden. The three meter high ceilings throughout will work in tandem with the natural light to create voluminous spaces. An external courtyard will further maximise the relationship between the interior spaces and the natural environment while creating a seamless transition between indoors and out.

There will be two points of access to the lower-ground floor, which houses four double bedrooms and three bathrooms. A striking freestanding staircase will lead to this level via a large courtyard garden, while a second staircase will descend from the main living spaces.  The main bedroom has been designed to include a bath within the sleeping area, in addition to a vast dressing room and en suite shower room. The fourth bedroom could be reconfigured as a double height snug or playroom.

The plans propose high levels of insulation, airtight construction, triple glazing throughout and mechanical ventilation which will filter the air to remove pollen, NOx and diesel particulates, providing a healthy indoor environment. The house will be timber-framed with engineered timber I-joists, minimising thermal bridging and embodied energy in the structure. It will be powered by an air-source heat pump that will multiply energy from outside to give both space heating and hot water, which means that no boiler will be required.

Outdoor Space

A luscious garden will sit at the rear of the proposed house, with thoughtfully planted borders that will wrap around a large lawn area. Many mature trees within the existing plot will be retained, offering further shade and privacy.

The open courtyards throughout the home will also be planted with a wide variety of specimen trees and perennial plants, creating a seamless interaction between indoors and out.

The Area

Halliwick Road is within easy walking distance to the cafes and restaurants of Muswell Hill, which also includes an Everyman Cinema and Planet Organic. Just 15 minutes from the house is a parade of shops with an organic greengrocer, a butcher/ baker and cafe, The Maid of Muswell pub and a great restaurant, Korto, which serves fantastic tapas and good wine. The ancient Coldfall Woods are close by, as well as the Parkland Walk, a leafy pedestrian walk on a disused railway track, which connects Muswell Hill to Finsbury Park via nearby Highgate.

Muswell Hill can be accessed via numerous train stations. Highgate (Northern Line) is a ten-minute bus ride away. Alexandra Palace station is 20 minutes by foot, from which the Thameslink train runs to Finsbury Park and Kings Cross and Blackfriars). Nearby Bounds Green station is on the Piccadilly Line.