Designer James Shaw had been looking for a spot to build a house in London for a while when, in 2017, he came across an overgrown plot near his flat in east London. Fast forward five years and the 60 sq m parcel has become home to him and his partner. Designed in collaboration with architect friend Nicholas Ashby, the house develops over two floors (with the living area taking over the basement, and a bedroom on the ground floor) accessed from a courtyard facing a quiet street. ‘The house design was a reaction to the irregular plot,’ Shaw explains.
Despite being largely underground, the house is designed with light in mind. ‘When I moved in, there was no staircase, no floor. It was basically a concrete shell,’ recalls Shaw. ‘And that was really nice, because it meant I could see the way the light moves, and plan it from there.’ A portion of the basement features double-height ceilings with windows on two sides, while the lower ceilinged area is equipped with circular openings that add brightness to the space. A deck with a small plunge pool dug into the concrete extends the space with an indoor-outdoor vibe. Shaw and Ashby chose to keep the architectural elements exposed, with concrete walls and ceilings and brick pillars cohabiting with softer elements, such as expressive wood veneer over the kitchen and bedroom walls and colourful mosaic tiles in the hallway and bathroom. Shaw personally built and put together every element of the house.
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Wallpaper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Wallpaper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Kind of Magic
Demna's breathtaking couture collection takes centre stage at Balenciaga's newly renovated couture salons in Paris
Building Site
Sun Tower, China, by Open Architecture
Circular Approach
Repurpose clothing initiative, by Oliver Spencer
CITY
Seoul's unique mix of culture, art and style goes global, thanks to an unstoppable new wave of dynamic creatives
RESTORATION KINGS
Laplace for Hauser & Wirth Paris
CARDBOARD CUTOUTS
'Box' furniture, by Max Lamb, for Gallery Fumi
URBAN BOLTHOLE
Pacaembu House, Brazil, by Arthur Casas
SURREALIST DREAMS
Weird and wonderful works to wake up to
CROWNING GLORY
15-step scalp treatment, by Eco Jardin by Park Jun
WEARABLE ART
Jewellery collection, by Lynda Benglis, for Loewe