Transparent Perforated Circles Bring Light and Movement to This London Terrace House

The owners of this five-story Georgian terrace house in Belgravia were looking to bring a little sunshine from their homeland of Sardinia to their new home in central London. 

The architects at London-based studio AMA addressed their request by completely removing all the original internal features of the house, and preserving a large six-side internal volume. 

They then created a handmade steel staircase, which starts at the basement and connects the first two levels. 

On the first level, the stairs become a continuous handmade timber structure that rests against solid steel plates that were fashioned into a perforated-metal spine. It cuts through from the first floor, and all the way up to the top level. 

Combining a restrained material palette of blackened steel, raw concrete, timber, and glass with meticulous plasterwork, AMA created a relaxed yet stylish contemporary home. 

The ground floor was equipped with footpath paving lights to help brighten the basement, which is usually dark in traditional Georgian terraces. 

The perforations, which are seen on both the floors—where they're covered with glass, and on the vertical metal spine along the stairs—create interesting plays of light and shadow, resulting in a home that's innovative, rhythmic, transparent, and stimulating.