It all started when my mum asked, 'Have you seen Grand Designs House Of The Year finalists?' I quickly caught up and saw what she was talking about. An architect had designed and built an amazing home, of which he solved issues through innovative design and also resided in.
South London House was the inspiration for Jonathan and I to first meet and formed the basis for our understanding of what the site could be; a private sanctuary in the trees, an urban oasis and (possibly) your new home.
Our Story
GRAND DESIGNS
–Pete
South London House
PROJECT
SIZE
BRIEF
DATE
LOCATION
South London House
149m2
New Self-Build House
Completed 2018
Deptford, London
Completed in 2018, the house was designed by Oval UK Director Jonathan Pile as a family home for himself, partner and five year old son. It is inserted into a tightly constrained site behind buildings on Deptford High Street, overlooking Thomas Archer’s Grade I Listed St Paul’s church.
"Really hard working architecture that creates beauty out of almost nothing"
GRAND DESIGNS HOUSE OF THE YEAR SHOW, 2019
"An enchanting, urban fairy-tale. It demonstrates what can be achieved in a complex and highly constrained urban space through good communication with neighbours, careful and intelligent design, and a planning authority willing to engage in dialogue"
JUDGES’ COMMENTS, CIVIC TRUST AWARDS 2021
HIGHLY COMMENDED 2021
Civic Trust Awards
RIBA London Region
2019 AWARD WINNER
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2019
Stephen Lawrence Prize
RIBA House of the Year
NOMINATED FOR 2019
SHORTLISTED FOR THE
AJ Retrofit Awards
HIGHLY COMMENDED 2019
Structural Timber Awards
“This courtyard house offers a new typology for reusing complex and under-utilised urban sites. It makes the most of the site and responds sensitively to the Grade I Listed St Paul’s Church through its scale and use of black-stained timber, which references earlier timber-clad houses prevalent in Deptford in the 17th and 18th Centuries. The timber sits modestly above the original brick wall that borders the site from the street.
The building’s layout capitalises on the irregularly shaped site through an ingenious arrangement of rectilinear spaces for the bedrooms and bathrooms. These are united by irregular living space arranged around a courtyard. Glazing from this space provides a point of reference as you move through the house, and maximises the stunning views beyond the brick wall to St Paul’s. The use of exposed timber, particularly in the top-lit living space, creates a warm, welcoming, unique family home.
The house establishes a successful relationship with its surrounding neighbours and maintains their privacy through the use of carefully located windows with deep reveals and oblique views; they are never directly overlooked. The architect has adeptly managed multiple party wall awards and the sewer running below the site to deliver a successful project.
South London House has quietly made a significant contribution to the urban quality in this area. Its clever layout and use of materials offer a blueprint for transforming similarly awkward urban sites. It is a wonderful family home which offers a calming retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life.”
FROM THE RIBA JURY’S CITATION
