Eco house in Belsize Park
Brief
The Belsize Park Eco House is a remarkable example of how to optimise a small plot and its garden within a very dense urban environment.
Its location, set behind Primrose Gardens and Belsize Park Gardens, both highly populated areas, presented major challenges, particularly around issues of overlooking and privacy.
Concept
Our solution was to design a home where every view from every window is carefully controlled through precise orientation. This approach allows for private and intimate views of the surrounding gardens without compromising natural daylight. The result is a house completely enveloped by greenery, where every window frames a curated view of beautiful trees and planting.
It creates a uniquely quiet, warm, and serene urban retreat in the heart of one of North London’s most densely populated neighbourhoods.
Landscape
Another major consideration was to preserve the neighbour's views and integrate the house seamlessly into a lush, green landscape. Consequently, the design was approached more as a landscape project, with the house becoming part of the gardens that surround it.
A carefully considered arrangement of roofs extending in multiple directions allowed the form to remain organic, breaking the building into smaller volumes that create a discreet, sculptural presence. At the same time, this approach enabled the incorporation of biodiverse green roofs across different planes.
This sensitive design strategy was highly appreciated by the surrounding neighbors during the planning process.
