Open House London is one of our favourite weekends of the year. Why? Because we get to mooch inside some of London’s most beautiful builds. This year, around 800 commercial, residential and public buildings opened their doors to the public again. And today, we’re bringing you our favourite three builds; each and every building we visited was an amazing source of inspiration, and we hope you find them as special as we do.
Type: Residential Property
Architects: Sean & Stephen, 2018
Photographers: Lauren Gearing 2019; Christopher Pendrich, 2018
Location: London
This home is a balance of childhood nostalgia and grown up sexiness. Extended from a three-to-five storey townhouse, it’s leveling is unique, and the fusion of historical and contemporary design is on point. The combination of materials and textures is a treat too. A connecting slide from the kitchen to the basement adds a touch of fun, but somehow the colour play and materials combo makes it indulgently refined too. Clean white walls, earthy wooden floors and sandy clay interiors; contrasts are everywhere, and yet there is a sense of harmony as you effortlessly pass from floor to floor. The double height atrium with a large internal window is a feature not to be missed.
The Basement Atrium · A View Of The Slide· Buff Bricks
The Dining Room · Exposed Internal Brick · Black Arched Window
The Rear View · Sand Brick, White Brick & Black Brick Combo
Type: Residential Build
Architect: Magri Williams, 2018
Photographer: Nicholas Worley, 2018
Location: London
From the rear view, you’d have no idea this home was once a typical Victorian Terrace House. After a complete refurbishment in 2018, this family home has been transformed. Using London Stock Brick, the rear extension complements the zinc loft conversion. It’s use of space is clever, and yet it is the play on textures that makes this home truly genius. The concrete flooring on the ground floor has a soft, warm aesthetic. And yet naturally it’s cool underfoot. The concrete’s sharp, clean finish, and subtle nuances in colour naturally complement the clay walls. The unfussy, bold design allows the materials to talk for themselves. And the clay bricks offer subtle texture, that perfectly contrasts the smooth concrete. This is a house of the highest contrition, and the finest design. It’s a triumph to modern architecture.
Rear View · White Brick Loft Conversion · Stepped Form
Stack Bond Detail · Cream Bricks · Waterstruck Bricks
Dining Room · Light Clay Walls · White Ash Concrete Floor
Type: Residential Build
Architect: Liddicoat & Goldhill
Photographer: Liddicoat & Goldhill
Location: London
This is The Makers House. It’s one of the only black brick builds we could find in Open House London 2019, and it’s the shiniest gem in a beautiful street. Amongst rows of classic London terrace houses, The Makers House breaks convention, and adds a much needed pause in the Victorian streetscape. It’s black linear bricks are complemented by the dark timber finish, and it’s wedge-shaped structure is a refreshing contrast to the endless blocks of rectangular terraces. We hope to see more black and grey bricks being used in upcoming developments. The black waterstruck makes a bold statement, and it offers a clean contrast to the buff, white and sand bricks it sits aside. Contemporary residential and commercial builds in darker tones are unparalleled; confident tones are set to change London’s scape forever.
Black Bricks · Dark Timber · Curves meet Straights
Whether your next project is a commercial or residential build, we hope that these builds have given you some nice ideas to play with. We are proud to be the fastest UK supplier of waterstruck bricks, so if you need a hand with your next build, get in touch :)
or call Chris on 07985 295 996