Wood-be Studio

Set at the end of the back garden to a Georgian terrace, the new studio provides a work-from-home environment away from the domestic life of the house. The building is conceived as a series of stepping blocks for different functions: work, meeting, utilities (wc/kitchen). A ridgeline steps from corner to corner, creating a playful, undulating roof which is expressed internally as well as in the external cladding. The construction is completely concrete free and built without any heavy equipment. Hand driven screw piles were installed using scaffold poles for leverage. A lightweight timber structure was built atop of the piles that is functional but also playful in its form. The space is fully insulated using sheep's wool and natural clay plaster is used throughout the interior. The use of these natural materials was deliberate to ensure the space is passively healthy. The exterior rainscreen is made from Corten to weather and contrast to the lush landscape. As is typical of terraced properties in London, access is difficult. The entire project was carried, by hand, through a standard door to gain access to the rear garden. The idea of ‘carrying an entire building’ is at first, daunting, however this constraint made the entire design team consider every element of the build. We looked at how to optimise and reduce wherever possible to create a project that was designed for construction from the outset. Similarly materials were ordered to size, length and quantity where possible meaning that no skip was required for waste. As the design continued to develop throughout construction, the end product is very much a product of the process.