Oakley House
James Bond, Palm Springs and Ibiza…. A convivial renovation of an Islington home.
Specific parts of the site have been lowered to bring height and depth to the interiors, resulting in much of the house being obscured from street level.
Constructed in concrete to retain the existing boundary brickwork, the ground floor stretches the length of the plot and offers generous living space, along with two separate outdoor courtyards. On the upper level, the first floor has been constructed in a timber frame and wrapped in a distinctive cladding of Funton Old Chelsea Yellow brick—forming a visual connection to the other properties on the street. On the street-facing boundary wall, we included an aluminium shadow gap detail to distinguish the new brickwork from the old.
Unlike the original houses on the street, windows at the rear of the property were not possible due to the plot being overlooked on all sides. To solve this, we designated the more private spaces of the home on the street-facing side of the plot.
Although the site was constrained in size, we were careful not to let the interior spaces be impacted by this. With a completely open plan design, the home also enjoys plenty of height thanks to the stepped level changes, with the main living space being the tallest room of the house at three metres.
Aperture House is a perfect example of how a potentially complex plot of land can be transformed into a home where living in private harmony is achieved.