Grand Designs: Modern Mews house gutted to transform dingy rooms is in the running for RIBA's House of the Year award 2016
The transformation of a dark and impractical London mews house into an innovative modern multi-functional space has won Coffey Architects a place on RIBA’s House of the Year longlist.
Modern Mews doesn’t look very different from its exterior but the four-storey period property has been entirely gutted and turned into a “piece of joinery crafted to live in”.
A beautiful honey-coloured oak staircase with open treads is the central facet running through the interior, connecting the small, three by eight metres, space cleverly and to maximise light.
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The property only has windows at the front meaning originally it was very dark with no natural light reaching the master bedroom and en suite on the lower floor.
The challenge of this single aspect has been elegantly overcome with the installation of a glazed roof, glass landings and an entirely glazed ground floor, allowing sunshine to penetrate all corners.
Judges remarked on “a fine marriage of planning, control of light and rigorous detailing [which] has very cleverly multiplied the use of space to create a family home well beyond the client’s aspirations.”
The RIBA House of the Year award will be broadcast as part of a special Channel 4 Grand Designs series, presented by Kevin McCloud later in the year.