Self-build
An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about self-build
News • News • 31 Jan 2025
Ika.architekti builds fun and functional DIY sauna in Brno
Brno-based ika.architekti has built an upcycled sauna using an array of old materials. The project includes wooden pallets, cement-bonded particle boards, and sheep wool — by reusing these materials, in effect giving them a second chance, the architects have created a fun and functional DIY sauna.
Tomáš Slavík
Tomáš Slavík
“This is what happens when you scroll through second-hand websites and when you love collecting materials that might still come in handy,” says ika.architekti. “It might sound like hoarding, but when you’re an architect, you suddenly have a lot of great stuff to build with. And as architects, that’s precisely how we’ll s... More
News • News • 21 May 2024
Surman Weston veils self-build Peckham House in hit-and-miss brickwork
London-based architectural studio Surman Weston has completed its first self-build project in the vibrant south-east London neighborhood of Peckham. The aptly titled “Peckham House” stands apart, its monolithic form softened by the use of hit-and-miss brickwork — the distinctive veil envelops a home that is delicately handcrafted.
Jim Stephenson
Surman Weston
Peckham House is the first self-initiated project by Surman Weston with the studio in the role of client, architect, and contractor. For directors Tom Surman and Percy Weston, it was an opportunity to move beyond the parameters of a typical architectural project — the role of contractor, in particular, stirred a passion for craftsmanship and m... More
Project • By Colectivo Warehouse • Auditoriums
Ma Bibliotheque
Invited by Ghost Creative Productions, Colectivo Warehouse integrated a team of artists for the realization of an Arts and Ecology festival at Licée Galandou Diouf, a public school in the center of Dakar.
Miguel C Tavares
The project’s main objective was to awaken the young students and the entire school community to environmental awareness through Art. The ÉcoL’Art Festival created a platform for intercultural dialogue between Senegalese and Portuguese artists.
Miguel C Tavares
During two weeks in residence, Colectivo Warehouse developed a project in the Library and its surrounding area. Starting by redesigning the interior layout of the existing library, the primary objective was to introduce students... More
Project • By Sandy Rendel Architects Ltd • Private Houses
The Slot House
The challenge of this project was to tease functional and delightful spaces out of an unpromising opportunity. The plot was a narrow 2.8m wide break in an existing terrace, bounded by flank walls on both sides, which had lain vacant for a number of years. We bought the site as part of a deal to acquire some garden space at the rear of our house. However rather than extending our own property the high land value forced us to consider dividing the plot and developing this strip with street frontage separately. Although consent for a 3-storey house already existed we made a conscious decision to re-apply for a smaller 2-storey 1-bed scheme, prioritising quality of space over minimising space standards and maximising gross development.
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