House Imagine.
Location: London
Built by: Baufritz (UK) Ltd
Images: © Baufritz (UK) Ltd
A contemporary home was constructed in north London in an ecological manner. At first glance, the property looks like a typical "English" house that was perfectly adapted architecturally to the look of the street. The house is called "Imagine" as there is a replica of the John Lennon memorial from New York at the entrance.
On the garden side, however, the architect's house demonstrates skilful design. For here the combination of wood and oversized glass elements creates an impressive, direct connection to nature. So inside you can enjoy a healthy natural climate as well as the most beautiful views to the garden.
London is one of the world's most amazing cities, with such a diverse range of cultures and stunning architecture. The capital offers a wide choice of different types of living across its many boroughs, and the suburbs of London offer the opportunity to escape the pace of the city without missing out on any of the benefits.
The Youngs' always wanted to build their own home and finally, they found the ideal plot of land for their project. It took a year to get planning permission before Mr and Ms Young, who both work in construction in the UK, chose the German manufacturer Baufritz to work with them: "Their reputation is amazing. When we talked to other people, they were so complimentaryabout Baufritz. It is very rare to find people to speak so highly after going through the process of building their own home. We also really liked the eco-side: The paint is organic, the materials they use is all natural, and the holistic values of the company also played a part in our choice".
Space and light is the theme of the house, with the predominant materials being wood and glass. On opening the front door, the large corridor in the centre of the contemporary house reveals a fantastic view all the way through the house to the garden. The homebuilders had a clear idea of the rooms and layout they wanted: on the ground floor, there is a spacious living, dining and kitchen area; on the first floor, the two children have own their separate space with equal-size bedrooms and their own bathrooms, and two further rooms on the same floor are designated for an au pair and for guests. The parents' beautiful master bedroom suite is on the top floor, beneath the hipped roof. The cellar, which is illuminated by a deep light well that leads onto a sunken terrace, houses a family room and a games room with a pool table.
Care was taken to respect the setting, which sits within a conservation area that is characterised by detached brick and tile houses. This is why at first sight, the front gives the impression of a small house that sits well alongside the conventional buildings in the neighbourhood. Crisp window and door openings and a zinc-clad bay window at the front hint at the contemporary character of the house, which really comes alive at the rear where an exciting with large windows and terraces overlooks the garden. The view in the back is stunning. The Young's home is situated on a hill, so the garden is half way between the basement level and the kitchen level, which provides both floors with a huge amount of natural light.
The prefabricated timber frame construction system combines outstanding energy performance, bespoke design and exceptional construction standards. The house is insulated using 00% natural wood shaving insulation, and the owners have been amazed by how much energy has been generated by the PV panels on the roof. The house has an AA energy performance certificate in the UK where most houses have D and E level. There are only a few hundred houses in the whole country that have such a good energy efficiency. The client doesn’t have to put the heating on very often. Even in the winter they are not worried to open a window.