Eden House: A Sustainable Oasis In The Heart Of London
“We believe it is now our moral obligation to build more sustainably to help the environment and create homes for the next generation that are not only beautiful,but also benefit and promote the natural environment.Our aim is to prove that sustainable homes can be stylish and beautifully designed.”
Eden House is Fornacelli Homes’ first sustainable development offering a contemporary living experience with a focus on quality and wellbeing.London-based interior design company, Mood London Design collaborated on this project on the interior architecture, design and project management, which was completed in January 2020.
Located in the buzzing heart of Crouch End, North London, Eden House is a truly unique concept comprised of nine carefully considered homes - four mews houses and five apartments. It is built on strong principles of innovation and high performance to create a happy, healthy and modern place to live. The development reflects the growing hub of creativity in this part of London, surrounded by numerous independent design shops, cafes and restaurants, and meets the demand for versatile modern living spaces with a strong focus on sustainability.
The development is distinctive through its connection with nature - all the properties benefit from an outside space, the top of the building is completely covered in an expansive green roof and the external and internal green walls, which create a sanctuary for the occupiers, help purify the air and improve the city’s biodiversity.
Clean and renewable technologies such as MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery) maintain an ambient temperature year-round within the homes offering both heating at cooling within the houses, while simultaneously filtering and purifying the air. Eden House is also powered by renewable energy harnessed from the roof-fitted solar panels and stored by the building to be used as and when the residents need it. There are 42 Supower solar panels each capable of generating 400W; the highest efficiency currently in production. This energy is even used to power the BMW i3s electric car which is available to all the residents on a shared basis making journeys around town comfortable, pollution free and efficient.
The exterior of the building benefits from cedar cladding, London stock brick, zinc claddingand the striking textured render that envelops the building, not only protecting it, but helping to reduce energy bills and Co2 emissions.
Inside, natural materials,embossed concrete walls, crittall glass screens and bespoke Italian kitchens and wardrobes, create a perfect blend of urban design, luxury and green living.The natural materials of the building sit harmoniously with the textures and features creating a unique and exciting offering to home buyers in the city. The design team worked tirelessly over the duration of project to source materials that melded with the materiality of the building – velvet and natural exposed concrete, warm golden rustic wood flooring, graphite metal spindles, terrazzo tiles and Wall & Deco wet-room wallpaper. Tones such as brass, brushed copper and matt black accent the design. Wherever possible the idea was to bring nature and the natural world into the designs.
Mood London specifically looked to appoint local design talent such as Hada Landscaping and The Joinery Shop to work on the project. The front doors of the mews houses were handmade by the local joinery company using the traditional Japanese ShoSugi Ban or charred woodtechnique. Even the chevron design of the doors was designed and considered before the charring process.
Speaking on the development, Gian-Franco Cencelli, the director of Fornacelli Homes says:
“Eden House is a beacon of tranquillity a stone’s throw from London’s cultural hub. The development, which broke ground in February 2018, represents a new chapter for Fornacelli Homes. The company has traditionally worked in Central London creating bespoke, luxury homes, but we have recently turned our attention and passion to creating sustainable, environmentally friendly homes that enhance the lives of the people who live there, as well as the surrounding areas. It is one of the first carbon neutral developments in London and we are incredibly proudofthe finished result.”
Material Used :
1. Living Walls - Semper Green
2. Green Roof - Knauf Insulation
3. Solar Panels - Joju
