The redevelopment and expansion of an abandoned 1960s office building with a reinforced concrete frame into an apartment building is a very relevant project in light of the acute housing crisis in London; not always demanded non-residential premises during such transformations can be turned into relatively affordable housing.
The peculiarity of the project is that its authors, bureau alma-nac, abandoned the corridor system: instead, they used galleries along the northern facade. Communications were also laid there, as a result of which the height of the ceilings in the apartments was increased (the technical space there was already redundant). To drown out the steps in the galleries, the architects came up with the idea of covering their floors with crumb rubber, like in a playground. When driving there and in other public spaces, the LEDs turn on in the dark, but they do not illuminate the apartments in any way: this has been specially taken care of.
Video © Peter Landers
Due to the layout without an internal corridor, all apartments are open to both facades, through ventilation is provided there. Living rooms and balconies are facing south and southwest. The balconies are placed at an angle, which protects them from the gaze of neighbors and passers-by. Galleries and balconies have been fenced with acetylated wood, facades are covered with glass fiber reinforced concrete panels, and stainless steel is also used.
The apartments are located in pairs, they share a common hallway, which makes the layout more efficient and also facilitates communication between residents. The "communal" spaces serve the same purpose: the living room on the ground floor, separated from the lobby by a block of brick and plywood mailboxes (the architects paid a lot of attention to the interior details) and a landscaped terrace for relaxation and barbecue. Another common resource for all is the "spare" bedroom / study. The architects turned this block into an exercise on the topic of micro-housing: 11.75 m2 has a double bed, a kitchenette, living space, a storage room and a bathroom.
The house is dominated by one-bedroom apartments, but there are also three studios and three two-bedroom apartments. The budget was 5.1 million pounds, the total area of the building after reconstruction - 2,495 m2.
