In the heart of South East London, Catherine and Karina returned to the borough where they grew up to transform a particularly challenging plot into their lasting home. Their journey was filled with passion, precision, and the pursuit of environmental excellence in line with their aspirations. 'Lagom,' meaning 'just enough, or just right' in Swedish, perfectly encapsulates their vision: a compact, cleverly designed space that feels expansive yet intimate, tailored to their unique lifestyles as an artist and a pianist.
Warehome’s solution was a conscientious design that embraced the site's constraints, which included a protected tree and limited access. Our approach involved submerging one-third of the home to minimise the visual impact whilst still protecting the tree's roots, using innovative techniques such as air-spading and a cantilevered floating concrete slab. The layout provided balanced natural light and ample ventilation, with sun tunnels and strategic lightwells illuminating the subterranean spaces. The use of CLT and external wood fibre insulation demonstrated our commitment to sustainable building practices, ensuring the home was energy-efficient and not just aesthetically pleasing.
Subterranean Sustainability: The partially submerged design allowed for thermal efficiency and minimal visual impact, preserving the tree and respecting the neighbours’ sightlines.
Light Maximisation: Sun tunnels and lightwells were carefully integrated to flood the lower bedroom with natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
Material Innovation: The use of CLT for rapid offsite construction and wood fibre for external insulation highlighted our dedication to low carbon materials that provide structural integrity and superb thermal efficiency.
'Lagom' is a great example of what can be achieved with a clear vision and cooperative spirit. It challenges accepted notions of what is possible on a tight urban plot and sets serves as an example for similar projects in the future. For Warehome, this project has been a profound learning experience that reinforces the importance of adaptability and client-focused design. As we move forward, we aim to build on these lessons to continually improve and innovate in our future projects.
