Eidolon House
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Eidolon House - Front facade
Will Pryce (website) Download Original
Eidolon House is a significant addition to an architecturally notable street
Despite being located adjacent to Highgate Cemetery and in a Conservation Area, Swains Lane has a tradition of innovative contemporary architecture. No. 85 (next door) by Eldridge Smerin won an RIBA award in 2009 and John Winter’s 1969 Corten house at No. 81 is one of the few Modern houses to be Grade II* listed.
Eidolon House builds on the tradition of glass and steel Modernist housing started by Winter. Here in contrast to Winter’s use of rusted Corten, the renovated house is clad in mirror polished stainless steel reflecting the trees opposite – highlighting the changing of the seasons. Inside the house further celebrates its fantastic setting with large windows and an open-plan top floor overlooking the overgrown cemetery beyond.
The project name refers to the reflective cladding and cemetery context – Eidolon means phantom, apparition, double image and idealised.
Data
- Begun: May 2013
- Completed: Nov 2013
- Floor area: 150m2
- Sector: House
- Total cost: £225,000
- Funding: Private
- Tender date: Mar 2013
- Procurement: Minorworks
- Address: 87 Swains Lane, London, N6 5PJ, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Dominic McKenzie Architects
- Client: Sophie Rich
- Structural engineer: Akera Engineers
- Lighting design: John Cullen Lighting
- Main contractor: Harris Calnan
Suppliers
- Steel cladding supplier: John Booth Engineering
- Oak cladding & joinery supplier: Village Cabinets
- Glazing: Culmax
- Douglas fir boards: Dinesen
- Fireplace supplier: Bellfire
- Stone supplier: Marmi
