Taylor House / Paul Archer Design

Architects: Paul Archer Design
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Photographs: Helen Fickling , Will Pryce

Retaining just the front and side walls of the original building, a Victorian public house, Paul Archer Design has opened up this ground floor and basement flat to accommodate a unified four-bedroom house.

The entire rear elevation has been replaced with two-storey glazing by excavating down into the garden, above which a new glass-box kitchen extension floats dramatically. Inverting the traditional hierarchy of domestic architecture, the bedrooms are located on the lower level, with living spaces on the upper level to receive more daylight and retain access to the terraced outdoor areas.

Taylor House is punctuated by a sequence of extended vistas and uninterrupted circuits of movement. A double-height internal space adjacent to the front staircase establishes a strong sense of connection between floors, and the kitchen and balconies provide an alternative route to the lower level through the garden. An outdoor shower is carefully positioned beneath the kitchen, and an ingenious corridor of sliding walls permits flexibility between private bedrooms and an open-plan arrangement.