A carefully designed artist's sanctuary in eastern London reflects the region's extensive artistic past.
In the pulsating heart of London, the city's Conservation Areas serve as a formidable battleground for architects, who must navigate the intricate web of preserving grandiose architectural artifacts from the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian eras. The strength of these timeless structures is owed to stringent regulations that safeguard their majesty, standing tall amidst the sea of new proposals.
Unveiling the Hidden Gem: Beck Road House
Embedded in the artistic epicenter of Hackney, Maich Swift's comprehensive restoration of a quaint Victorian dwelling illustrates a distinctive methodology. What lies concealed beyond its nondescript facade is a comprehensive yet subtle restoration, masterfully sculpting the original structure while employing everyday construction materials.
Originally designed as an artist's residence and workspace, the humble Beck Road property spans a mere 102 sq m. The architects faced not only the complex structural challenges that had plagued the house for years, necessitating the installation of entirely new support structures, but also the task of amplifying the conventional floor plan's openness, particularly within the studio area.
As the restoration unfolded, the process of peeling away layers revealed a treasure trove of textures and materials. A centerpiece of this transformation is a meticulously replicated 'butterfly' roof, resplendent with exposed beams and joists, boosting the ceiling height on the first floor.
All structural timbers are crafted from rough-sawn Douglas fir, while the joinery and timber linings, including the wainscoting panels, are solidified with exposed pine. The architects have meticulously recreated traditional design elements such as window shutters, adorned with bespoke pulls and door handles.
Integral shelving maximizes the potential of the original layout, utilized to display books and ornaments, while the brick fireplaces remain exposed to showcase the chimneys' sculptural form. The original floorboards were meticulously refurbished and replaced, and a carefully planned series of alignments was conceived to reshape the perception of the expansive open-plan first floor.
Some original doors were rejuvenated, while the rear bedroom was isolated from the main house by a new top-hung sliding door. The house was equipped with an upgrade to thermal performance, incorporating cork thermal render, wood fibre insulation, and traditional lime plaster, and all interior surfaces were lime washed.
Travel through Time: The Dawn of Artistic Redefinition
Beck Road has resonated with the artistic spirit since the 1970s, hosting gallerist Maureen Paley. It was one of the first streets to be salvaged by Acme, an artist collective that staved off demolition and provided shelter and workspace for artists in need. Despite the transformation, the house's innovative interior layout continues to uphold the neighborhood's storied tradition of nurturing unconventional artistic expression.
Maich Swift Architects, founded by Ted Swift and Paul Maich in 2027, were celebrated with the BD Young Architect of the Year Award in 2022. Their extraordinary work on Beck Road House in Hackney follows their previous showcase piece, the Rhossili House in Wales.
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MaichSwift.com
The restoration of the Beck Road property, a quaint Victorian house in Hackney, showcases a unique approach to interior-design, coupling traditional methods with a contemporary lifestyle. This home-and-garden transformation, which retains its original structure, offers a testament to the harmonious blend of the past and present.
Embedded in the artistic epicenter of Hackney, Beck Road House continues to resonate with the creative spirit, mirroring its storied tradition of nurturing unconventional artistic expression, thereby creating a unique lifestyle regarded in the realm of interior-design.
