The challenge: to convert 3 small garages into a sequence of characterful spaces, and to use those to transform the ergonomics of the existing house to nurture a ‘soon to be’ growing family.  The brief was originally for a cinema room, but this evolved to create two floors of accommodation: a basement, allowing separate living accommodation for guests or a nanny, and a ground floor living space. This created spaces that were open to the rest of the house and the garden, but that had their own character and identity within an open plan layout. 

​Inspired by the clients’ work (in theatre and film), it was conceived as a miniature theatre ‘fly tower’ in the garden, with its south facing wall a ‘pixelated’ screen of brickwork.  In the sunshine, the pixelations of the brickwork dematerialise the heavy masonry to a dappled dance of sunbeams and keep the building cool and dark. And when night falls, little flashes of the life inside the building are projected through to the garden.  On top of the ‘flytower’ a roof terrace sits aside a green roof planted with meadow wildflowers allowing views down over the garden.