A Writer and Filmmaker Builds a Forever Home on a Narrow Lot in East London

In the dense urban setting of Leyton in East London, McMahon Architecture had slightly more room to work with than some. Their client, a writer and filmmaker, had purchased a narrow plot at the end of a ’60s terrace in addition to an adjacent small garden, hoping to build a contemporary home across both sites where he could stay for years to come.

"He wanted an oasis within the city where he could live and work, and a residence that would be able to adapt into a ‘forever home’ through both his and the home’s lifetime," explains McMahon.

But the garden was zoned for a two-story mock Victorian at roughly 1,000 square feet, making it difficult to obtain a permit for bigger plans. "The process of persuading the city to embrace a more modern design approach took 24 months," says McMahon. "But we managed to obtain approval for a 188-square-meter house [around 2,000 square feet] that respects the spirit of the ’60s terrace while addressing the Victorian context of the neighboring street."

McMahon created a rectangular plan with a brick plinth in a stretcher bond, topping it with a timber box clad in Siberian larch. Key to taking advantage of the entire site was integrating a basement, finished in clay plaster, that spans the home’s footprint.

A courtyard at the home’s entry leads into the ground floor, which has an open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area. A concrete bench runs the length of the wall and flows directly into the concrete kitchen counters. Interior walls in brick blur boundaries between inside and out. "This was very important so that the external spaces became extensions of the internal space," says McMahon.

There’s also an honesty in the blend of brick, timber, clay, and concrete. "We wanted the home to have integrity," says McMahon, "and we wanted the materials to speak for themselves."

The basement level features two courtyards that bring light deep into the plan. The service spaces, which include a bathroom and utility room, are located at the center, while a bedroom and an office with a screening room open onto the courtyards. The upper level, which appears to sit atop the brick like a timber box, contains a spacious primary bedroom and dressing room.

Despite the ambitious undertaking, the budget was very constrained. To reduce costs, the architect tendered separate contracts for each element of the build, with the client acting as contract manager. "Working this way kept costs down, but it was also essential as it allowed us to achieve a high level of quality, and our vision for the home," says McMahon. For the client, it couldn’t have turned out better. "We got so much from a pretty small urban plot," he says. "It’s such a brilliant use of space."

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: McMahon Architecture

Builder: Refab Build Limited

Builder (Basement): Abtech Basements

Structural Engineer: James Frith Ltd.

Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Werninck Building Services

Joinery (Timber Doors and Windows): Cambridge Joinery

Clay Plaster: ClayWorks

Ground Floor Sliding Doors: Maxlight

Basement Sliding Folding Doors: SunSeeker Doors

Photographer: Fernando Manoso