Jackson House

The project is simultaneously quiet and reserved in its use of materials, yet highly detailed in their application. Archive for Space explored the local area, drawing inspiration from Wanstead Temple and Leyton Town Hall to inform a rigorous façade at a residential scale. The clients, a growing family, required a space that was both economical and robust in its material, allowing Archive for Space to explore a palette of hard wearing, off-the-shelf materials that also possess an innate richness. As with the studio’s other works, the project examines the assembly and treatment of raw materials and how they can be simply manipulated to create an unexpected effect. The block work, for example, is used as a finished surface rather than its conventional structural role. With careful construction and a final coat of paint, the block work provides a warm, textured backdrop to the family's everyday life. The base of the project employs hard and durable materials, such as block work and terracotta tiles. To contrast this, Archive for Space introduced a lighter, warmer palette of Douglas fir and plywood for the ceiling. The rich tones of the ceiling complement the floor and kitchen, creating an overall sense of warmth, calm, and comfort. The Douglas fir extends to the façade, where three bays feature a tiled pediment that nods to the architecture of Wanstead Temple. Archive for Space collaborated with Tabitha Isobel on the styling of the project, selecting furniture pieces from Beton Brut’s collection to enhance the carefully curated aesthetic.