Aperture House
A new-build home in Islington organised around a secret courtyard.
The interior spaces have been reworked to offer flexibility in living arrangements, to ensure each zone of the house is utilised to its full potential. The front hallway has been relocated to form a central spine to the property, while also allowing for the rooms on the upper floors to be more readily accessible. Additional floor space has been added to the side wing, with sliding partitions to reveal and hide private dwellings to accommodate guests. Roof lights have been added along with double-height glazing to emphasise the new, additional height while also flooding the property with natural light.
Outside, a sculptural red steel bridge leads to the main entrance of the house, spanning across a lower courtyard beneath the driveway. Throughout the property, there is a recurring connection to the property’s surroundings—firmly rooting the building in the greenery beyond the windows.
During the process of rebuilding Willowbrook, we discovered a number of failing elements on site that could have led to significant issues in future. We were fortunate to be able to correct these issues and improve the overall structure while also upgrading the sustainability of the property. As the owners had overseen the building for its whole lifespan, we carefully considered the use of materials, utilising reclaimed brickwork mixed within new, to preserve a personal connection to the original structure.