Located along Rowe Lane in London’s Hackney, The Framehouse has an impressive architectural pedigree. It is the home of architect Marcus Lee, who was formerly an associate director at Richard Rogers Partnership (now Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) where his projects included Heathrow Terminal 5 and the Lloyd’s Buildings in London. Lee went on to establish his own practice, FLACQ, and then worked with Glenn Howells before launching LEEP – Lee Partnership – in the spring of this year.
When Lee bought this plot it was a wasteland with neither services nor planning permission, but at 30 metres by 9 metres, Lee had a sense for the scale of the house that the local planning authority might permit here. He responded with this five bedroom, three-storey timber-framed house with its distinctive wedge-shaped profile, and used a combination of Siberian larch with Red Cedar for the frames and cladding and Douglas Fir for the balconies.
The extensive use of glazing means that light floods in, while eco features include rainwater harvesting and a timber pellet boiler. The layout is based on Japanese design, with storage arranged along the side walls.
As there are no load-bearing internal walls, the layout could be reconfigured should the next owners prefer a different flow and use of space. The ground floor has been arranged to accommodate an office, while the vast living room and kitchen are open plan and connect to the garden.
I particularly like how the light floods into the kitchen with its bank of stainless steel cabinets, and how the sweep of orange Corian worktop on the island defines this cooking zone from the dining and living areas.
The Framehouse was featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs and the project also won an RIBA Award for architectural excellence. All this, plus a 40ft long garden in London makes for one and very desirable unique home.
The Framehouse was marketed by The Modern House. All photography from The Modern House.
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