Clean living

摘要

The road on which this house stands is unadopted, rough-surfaced and narrow, with no pavements. Though close to normal, busy north London streets, it feels like a remote enclave where you would not be too surprised to meet a working farm tractor. Some of its houses are behind walls. Here and there are signs of something recent and a bit different architecturally. It seems a context where the rules might be a bit relaxed, innovation possible - which suited the clients, who were looking for something special (and had visited Anthony Hudson Associates' Baggy House, AJ 13.4.95, as part of the process of widening their horizons). When the project began, the normal rules applied. The site abuts a short mews terrace fronting the north side of this east-west road and the planners looked for the terrace footprint to be extended by the new house, which would have produced a north-facing garden. Architect Azman Owens wanted to turn the building footprint 90°, making it end-on to the street, facing west on to an enclosed garden. In time, discussions became more open, with talk of relaxation if the building was of architectural interest and, with a change of staff, the atmosphere became supportive. Permission was granted. The risk to the client, of buying the right site with the wrong planning permission, had passed.