Blue House is designed by De Rosee Sa, Dartmouth Park is a district of north London in the London Borough of Camden, on the slope of the hill that rises up to Highgate from Kentish Town. On its west side, it borders Parliament Hill Fields, notable for its views of the London skyline. The clients owned the upper maisonette and had lived there for several years. When their downstairs neighbor decided to leave, they were able to agree to the purchase of the ground floor flat and appoint architects, De Rosee Sa, to reinstate the building back to its original arrangement as a three-story townhouse.
photography by © Alexander James
There were a few challenges; primarily how to increase the proportions to give the house a sense of grandeur and generosity of space. The first priority was to tackle a low floor to ceiling height on the ground floor, made more difficult by an unsympathetic level change between the front and rear of the building. De Rosee Sa overcame this by moving the level change further towards the front, using the front as a cloakroom area, framing the bay window with tongue and groove cupboards either side and a window bench.
The extra height gained in the middle of the ground floor facilitated the proportions to locate the kitchen in the middle, with an adjacent dining area. The living room is located towards the rear, with a Defra Approved wood burning stove and new glazing towards the garden. A long skylight brings lights deep into the plan. Joinery around the fireplace gives the living area additional detail and atmosphere.
photography by © Alexander James
The extension into the rear garden was rebuilt and widened to match the depth and shape of the neighboring roof pitch but using Blue Staffordshire brick to give it a more contemporary treatment with crisp architectural details. A glass sliding door and a window seat under a large window address the new patio and garden. Cava limestone was used for the patio and steps up to the lawn area. De Rosee Sa also designed the western red cedar clad garden sheds.
photography by © Alexander James
Project Info:
Architects: De Rosee Sa
Location: London, United Kingdom
Area: 168.0 m2
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Alexander James Photography
Manufacturers: BROS, Bi-folding Door Factory, Ibstock
Structural Engineer: Form Structural Design
Building Control Inspector: Head Projects Building Control
Project Name: Blue House
