Starts Hill Road

Starts Hill Road runs through a residential area consisting of streets surrounded by 1930s semi-detached houses and then other streets added in the 1980s.  The vernacular is 1930s arts and crafts style, typical of suburban parts of London, and pastiche modern housing.  Then there is Bassett's House, built in 1911, an original arts and crafts private house, then a school and now being redeveloped as part of a housing development adjacent to our client's site.

When faced with the challenge of designing a new block of flats on a prominent site, we explored the best buildings in the area and developed a modern arts and crafts theme using materials and detailing both modern and respectful of the vernacular.

Nine flats are arranged over three storeys around a central circulation space, with the top storey set into the steeply sloping roof.  The building is constructed in red brickwork with a red tiled roof, with brickwork either side of the window reveals creating a vertical rhythm enhancing the modern arts and crafts theme.