SITE
Wimpole House is a group of Grade II listed town houses, built in the 1890s in the Flemish Renaissance style. They were subdivided into flats in the 1950s of varying shapes and sizes. The building stands out for its exuberantly ornate pink terracotta facade, animating this corner of Marylebone. The rear elevation of Wimpole house is the antithesis of the front, utilitarian and practical, with simple unadorned 1960s steel windows.
The flat is located on the fourth floor and is essentially split down the middle, with the living room facing Wimpole Street and the three bedrooms and kitchen situated along the rear elevation. Any original historic features had long been stripped away, leaving behind a tired 1980s interior.
CLIENT
Our clients at Wimpole House have mixed cultural backgrounds and wished to combine both their Japanese and British traditions and particularities into the form of their new home. They envisioned a peaceful sanctuary within the city centre, one that would accommodate their professional and musical pursuits, personal collections, and daily life in a rational and orderly way.
CONCEPT
The project’s concept was rooted in the idea of impressing the richness of the building into the now featureless interior. We were intrigued by the duality of the building’s contrasting façades. The exuberant rhythm and ornamentation of the front façade informed the design of the main living room, while the simplicity and practicality of the rear façade influenced the utilitarian back rooms. These two distinct influences inform the design and converge at the central hallway. This approach manifested itself in wall panelling; traditional to the front and contemporary in the rear. The traditional panelling is subtly playful, wrapping around corners and concealing jib doors, as though the richness of the street façade has pressed itself inward. Along the rear, the panelling is simple and minimal, resulting in a functional clarity. The client’s desire for clean spaces means everything is concealed away when the panelling is closed.
CHALLENGES
Central to our client’s vision was the desire for a clean, uncluttered aesthetic. Everything is carefully concealed when the panelling in closed including everything from bookshelves to the piano and the desk to create serene rooms. The challenge was to integrate practical, resilient storage systems throughout the entire property, ensuring that all of life’s necessities would be accommodated and readily available, yet disappear when not in use.
Photographer: Ollie Hammick
Contractor: Cloakstone
Structural engineer: Winiecki Associates
Joinery: GH Mobilia
