One Sutton Lane

Sutton Lane is tucked away off the main streets and connects Clerkenwell Road and Great Sutton Street in London EC1. It opens out revealing a more intimate and smaller scale with single, two and three-storey versions of the dominant buildings making up the fabric.

Earlier projects from the same studio in the same area have incorporated standing seam cladding (zinc) and in another nearby using glued and laminated timber.

For this project a similar language emerged this time combining the two. In this instance copper has been used alongside the glulam.

The immediate area was synonymous with dealing in metal in the early 20th century and this influenced the use of copper.

The larch glulam was cut to size off site and then assembled in a few weeks. Rather than attempt to ape the 30s nautical feel of the host building, a distinct rhythm for the new structure was found – one that related to the existing but was more of this century than the last.

The glazing on the main elevation is fixed – the large expanse required for the shady location which also benefits from reducing solar gain. The large doors to the small terrace can be used for natural ventilation. The fixed lights are very simple and economical.

Internally the structure remains visible so there is a clear relationship with the external treatment.

The predominant feeling from the existing buildings is one of honesty with simple functional expression. One Sutton Lane aims to channel some of the same sentiment with a paired back approach.