Architecture for London

A Pavilion for Peace In recent times, with wars escalating worldwide,this pavilion aims to draw attention to Peace.Does this sound naive, simplistic, or even foolish?We fear that some may perceive it that way.   In this sense, this Pavilion aims to provoke through a theme that should not inherently be provocative. Indeed, we should never shy away from advocating for Peace. The Pavilion stands as a sanctuary for encounter and dialogue, fostering connections and understanding.   This idea is inspired by the project brief: Earthwork. Earth symbolizes life, yet it is often contested in conflicts since the dawn of humanity.   In contrast with this, the earth itself is designed to become the catalyst for new connections... More

The scheme provides a new rear single storey extension to a Victorian terraced flat in South London. The flat was in poor condition and required a full refurbishment and reconfiguration throughout. The clients, young professionals, were involved throughout the whole process and imagined a concept of light colours and natural materials. Rayan Bamhayan A minimal design in its purest form, the new rear open space aims to draw the garden into the interior. The detail of the interior is in keeping with the architectural concept. Walls and ceilings throughout the extension are finished in washed-plaster and micro-cement used in the shower room to also cover the ceiling, walls and ground to unify the space. Rayan Bamhayan The property... More

Rep- Tile / Infusion Pavilion Origami double sided textile has a reflecting effect from the outside as an installation pavilion and on the other hand an upside down close up reflection from the inside. The outside stands as an altogether chromic “Rep-Tile”! Inside-out users will be experiencing a twisting textile fabric with an unordinary sense of surface. The concave (from the inside) / convex (from the outside) tiles, visualize an exaggerated distortion of the surroundings and users in a playful way. This is a memorable state to interact with this mind blowing tiling phenomenon. From St John’s church to V&A museum of childhood there is a sweet moment of contextual twist! This critical attitude could be softened by... More

MICA has completed a small but carefully designed extension to the Weston Studio for the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance on the School’s Violet Needham Chapel site in Twickenham. Sited in the St Margaret’s Estate conservation area and within the flood zone of the adjacent River Thames, the project provides additional dance studio space for teaching and practice to accommodate increased student numbers. Andy Stagg The project makes the most of the landscape setting, providing a room in the garden, improving the relationship between the existing studio and the garden, providing access deeper into the landscape with improved accessibility for all. The architecture interprets the varied architectural language o... More

Situated within the characterful Mount Park Conservation area, Matthew Giles Architects have imaginatively reworked a 5 bedroom Victorian house to allow it to meet the changing demands of family life. © Logan Irvine-MacDougall   A new kitchen and dining space sits alongside revisions to the internal layout at ground and first floor levels creating a series of interconnected spaces. The grandeur of the rear elevation has been enhanced by the fair-faced concrete extension that makes subtle references to garden pavilion forms. © Logan Irvine-MacDougall The off-white concrete adds brilliance to the rear elevation and a pleasing contrast to the rustic, earthy tones of the original London stock brickwork. © Log... More

LOM architecture and design have worked with NatWest Group to transform a 20-year-old desk-centric building into an engaging and social head office. 250 Bishopsgate, an 11-storey glass and steel building at the edge of the City of London, was chosen as the bank’s future head office when NatWest streamlined their London office portfolio from 6 major buildings to 2. After a multi-year refurbishment programme, the building now works harder, is more sustainable, and healthier. © Nicholas Worley LOM’s transformation was carried out over multiple phases before and during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the building remaining operational throughout.  © Nicholas Worley The major retrofit project set out to radical... More

Matthew Giles Architects have created a striking 4-bedroom home that reflects the homeowners' appreciation for the textures of natural materials, and simple spaces, which act as a canvas for a rich and varied family life.   The home was built in the 1960s and its layout bears the hallmarks of that period – with a garage and guest room occupying the existing ground floor. The kitchen, dining and living room were located on the first floor with bedrooms on the second floor. By moving the main living spaces to the ground floor, there is a more welcoming transition from the public space to the home. © Lorenzo Zandri Beyond the lobby, the kitchen and music room have a connection and view through to the garden - a design m... More

Creating a series of indoor and outdoor experiences that blend expansive space and an unconventional sectional arrangement, Matthew Giles Architects have reimagined a Victorian townhouse in a way that adds in everyday delight. Situated in Clapham Old Town the design reorders the ground and first floor layouts and adds a new open-plan kitchen and living space beneath an expansive 2-storey void. © Logan Irvine-MacDougall On entry to the house, the young family are given immediate axial views through the extended building footprint to the kitchen and main living space. The generously proportioned entrance gives way to the dining area which links together the front reception room and the kitchen. From here the designers have subverte... More

Matthew Giles Architects’ contemporary interpretation of proportion, form, and architectural detailing see the remarkable transformation of this 4 storey, villa-like home, first built in the 1860s.   The semi-detached suburban house lies within Clapham Park & Northbourne Road Conservation Area, and so the design team responded with an approach that was sympathetic and cohesive with much of the Victorian vernacular in the local area: yellow London stock brick, stucco mouldings around the doors, timber sash windows, and natural slate roofs.  © James Newton The remaking of this home included the demolition of an existing rear addition, replaced by a striking single storey infill extension that accommodates a ne... More

Set over four split floor levels, this newly transformed north London home is an outstanding example of how to remodel and create high quality spaces within a typical semi-detached house. This contemporary and light filled home has expansive glazing and balconies which open out to the garden below, and effortlessly combines tactile and inviting materials across the interior and exterior thresholds.    Sympathetic alterations by Matthew Giles Architects replace earlier unsatisfactory additions, and include a new dark zinc roof dormer, new high performing glass panels to the front and rear with improved window openings and roof lights at the front of the home.  © French+Tye Rosebery Road lies within the Muswell Hil... More

Belvedere Gardens is a mixed-use development located in Waterloo that provides 98 apartments within two towers. Developed by Braeburn Estates, a joint venture between Canary Wharf Group plc and Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company, Belvedere Gardens is the third building to be launched within the Southbank Place masterplan. Ground floor retail units and a considered landscaping strategy help to increase variety and activity within the immediate urban area, with vibrant, public-facing active frontages.    The two towers step up from 11 storeys to 21 storeys in height, addressing the existing urban forms and strengthening overall visual coherence across the wider masterplan which extends to 5.25ha. During the early stages of... More

The Residence is a mixed-tenure development of 505 homes set within the Vauxhall Nine Elms Opportunity Area. The site was former industrial land and Ponton Road, which sits next to a railway viaduct, once contained a train station and sidings. The developer, Bellway, split their land holding into two plots and GRID was appointed to design the eastern parcel for private tenure, while Maccreanor Lavington are the architects for the western parcel for affordable housing. © Jack Hobhouse The architectural treatments are however very different. The site is adjacent to the Nine Elms regeneration masterplan area and an understanding of the overriding design principles of the Allies and Morrison masterplan was essential in driving the bu... More

Repton Gardens is a sustainability-focused Build-to-Rent development, designed by GRID Architects with Main Contractor McLaren on behalf of Quintain, for their BtR management brand, Quintain Living. The mixed-use scheme feeds into the Wembley Park masterplan and delivers 396 bright and spacious BtR homes, a new 1200sqm Health Centre, and 1000sqm of retail space. Eight retail units front onto the extended Wellers Way and to Humphrey Repton Lane, alongside the GP surgery – all of which are managed by Quintain’s Wembley Park estate retail and management team.  © Jack Hobhouse Carefully articulated in 3 buildings around a large podium garden, the form is two stepped buildings either side of a shared courtyard with a... More

Working on behalf of Anthology, part of the Lifestory Group, GRID Architects have secured planning consent for the residential redevelopment of the former Woodlands Care Home and the Grade II listed Masters House site, located in Kennington. The proposals will deliver 126 new homes in a mix of sizes and tenure types, including large family homes. In addition, to help tackle London’s housing crisis, 24% of the new homes will be affordable (base on hab rooms), with a focus on low cost rented housing which are in high demand locally.  Since February 2021, GRID, Lifestory, and Lambeth Council have been working in close partnership after a previous proposal was rejected at appeal. GRID was then appointed to develop a smaller and more... More