Hidden House

An urban barn conversion

Hidden House

An urban barn conversion

Hidden House is a unique low-carbon home we designed in collaboration with our architect client, created within the retained brick walls of a Victorian barn in Notting Hill. Tucked behind a row of terraces and accessed through an unassuming passageway the old barn had a colourful past life, at various stages housing everything from a car mechanics, sculpture studio, music venue and TV set. The building had been derelict for a number of years and our client wished to create a unique low-carbon home within the existing walls of the old barn.

The original barn walls and single-storey massing needing to be maintained and we developed an architectural strategy that would allow us to create generous, light-filled spaces within a tightly constrained site. By lowering the ground level and inserting a new self-supporting, insulated glulam frame inside the existing brick envelope, we were able to maximise the potential of the interior while respecting the integrity of the historic fabric.

Hidden House reflects our commitment to low-carbon design, sensitive engagement with heritage structures, and inventive responses to challenging sites—resulting in a warm, uplifting home that feels both contemporary and deeply rooted in its context.

Accessed through an unassuming passageway between terraced houses, the project reveals a contemporary residence discreetly tucked between garden.

We worked with the client and contractor to design a bespoke staircase in oak which encircles the main living space and connects the lower entrance courtyard to the upper sun terrace.

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Name – Job

A golden lobby connects the main living space with the bedrooms and bathrooms beyond.

We worked with the client and contractor to design a bespoke staircase in oak which encircles the main living space and connects the lower entrance courtyard to the upper sun terrace.

To maximise storage, we incorporated hidden cupboards and drawers into our design for the sweeping oak staircase which sits within the main living space.

Our clients asked us to prioritise natural and recycled materials wherever possible, and this brief shaped many of our design choices. Timber detailing and natural clay wall finishes soften the interior and add warmth and texture, while the use of glulam and timber as the primary structure allowed us to minimise steel.

We wanted to expose the glulam structure and drew inspiration from the nave of a church. The structure rises and flares to meet the roof, supporting large triangular skylights that bring abundant natural light deep into the plan.

The south-facing roof of the barn was the ideal location for photovoltaic panels, which were installed to provide power to the house and to the air-source heat pump that heats the highly insulated structure.

At terrace level, we pushed the building envelope forward to create privacy and visual screening within the compact plot. The clients choice of glazed blue tiles and matching door frames introduces a bold accent that ties the exterior to the blue kitchen below.

Collaborators

Contractor: GM Developments
Photography: : Chris Wharton

Credits and References