A Writer and Filmmaker Builds a Forever Home on a Narrow Lot in East London

The three-level design by McMahon Architecture features flowing interiors, a series of courtyards, and gorgeous materials that coalesce into an urban oasis.

Feb 17, 2022 - 01:51

A Writer and Filmmaker Builds a Forever Home on a Narrow Lot in East London

The three-level design by McMahon Architecture features flowing interiors, a series of courtyards, and gorgeous materials that coalesce into an urban oasis.

In the dense urban setting of Leyton in East London, McMahon Architecture had slightly more room to work with than some. Their client, a writer and filmmaker, had purchased a narrow plot at the end of a ’60s terrace in addition to an adjacent small garden, hoping to build a contemporary home across both sites where he could stay for years to come.

"He wanted an oasis within the city where he could live and work, and a residence that would be able to adapt into a ‘forever home’ through both his and the home’s lifetime," explains McMahon.

But the garden was zoned for a two-story mock Victorian at roughly 1,000 square feet, making it difficult to obtain a permit for bigger plans. "The process of persuading the city to embrace a more modern design approach took 24 months," says McMahon. "But we managed to obtain approval for a 188-square-meter house [around 2,000 square feet] that respects the spirit of the ’60s terrace while addressing the Victorian context of the neighboring street."

McMahon created a rectangular plan with a brick plinth in a stretcher bond, topping it with a timber box clad in Siberian larch. Key to taking advantage of the entire site was integrating a basement, finished in clay plaster, that spans the home’s footprint.