Tri-Pod
Subscribe now to instantly view this image
Subscribe to the Architects’ Journal (AJ) for instant access to the AJ Buildings Library, an online database of nearly 2,000 exemplar buildings in photographs, plans, elevations and details.
Already a subscriber? Sign in
scottwhitbystudio_-_the_tri-pod_c_nicholas_worley_low_1
An existing client approached the Studio with an unusual brief – to design a space where a thruple could sleep, play and relax
We inverted the traditional bedroom layout where all furniture sits around the edge of the room. By combining the two first floor rooms within the South London terraced house into a single volume, we positioned a beautifully crafted piece of joinery in the centre of the pristine high-ceilinged space, allowing natural light from the large street windows to flow around, over and through the structure.
Referencing the form of a traditional four-poster bed, this exquisitely crafted boudoir cleverly incorporates integrated storage and a hidden staircase within the bedhead, which leads you up to a secret leisure world for whisky tasting, yoga and reading concealed on the roof of the bed. Below this the expansive sleeping area with extra large mattress enables the happy threesome to be together in comfort.
As one of the trio suffers from a sleep disorder, the sides of the sleeping area close up to create a quiet, dark, protective cocoon, insulated from street noise and the Heathrow flight path. The simply and beautifully detailed walnut clad structure transforms like a wooden jewellery box, folding and unfolding to respond to the time of day and the desires of the occupants. Sustainably sourced Walnut was chosen to complement the clients existing dresser which sits alongside the structure.
Photography by Nicolas Worley
Data
- Begun: May 2019
- Completed: Jun 2019
- Floor area: 17m2
- Sector: Residential
- Total cost: £20,000
- Funding: Private
- Tender date: Jun 2018
- Procurement: Traditional
- Address: South London, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: ScottWhitbyStudio
- Client: Private