Tait House
Project: Tait House
Location: Tufnell Park, North London
Client: BRAC Developments
Status: Completed
The brief
With space in London always at a premium, one of the most underutilised opportunities where a developer can add value is by using the airspace. In collaboration with specialist developer, BRAC, our architectural and interiors teams have designed a single storey rooftop extension at Tait House, in the vibrant Tufnell Park area of North London.
Featuring three luxurious, self-contained, two-bedroom apartments, our designs have maximised amazing panoramic views over the Capital to provide striking and contemporary new homes in a sought-after location.
Our approach
Although not a conservation area, the Tufnell Park neighbourhood consists predominantly of Victorian housing, offering little developable space. The unlisted Tait House has a semi recessed lower ground floor, meaning it sits lower than its neighbours and is therefore ideal for upwards extension. In addition, its flat roof enabled the design to maximise availability of outdoor space.
Our approach focused on complementing the existing building and continuing a natural line along the street scene while creating contemporary new homes to suit the demands of modern living. All apartments are designed with clean lines to maximise natural light and avoid overlooking, while each has a flexible internal layout with generous storage to make the best use of space.
Our design
The design principle for the extension of Tait House was to harmonise with the street scene. This was achieved by selecting complementary materials including brick, zinc cladding and grey aluminium windows, alongside aligning the façade with the windows and shape of the existing building. A thin roof edge was specified to give the impression of a crisp and lightweight appearance.
Each penthouse has its own private terrace and a generous open plan living space with floor to ceiling glazing to take advantage of the properties’ southwest elevation. The interior design follows a calm and neutral palette and includes high quality appliances, handleless cabinetry, stainless steel fittings, tiling and recessed LED lighting. Top of the range flooring creates a clean and comfortable surface throughout and high-quality porcelain tiles to the bathrooms enhance the overall sense of elegance.
Tait House is designated a PTAL 5, meaning it is car free, although a new secure cycle storage shelter for six bicycles was included on the ground floor.
The result
Tait House was completed and the penthouses brought to market in September 2021, attracting a high level of interest. We’re now working on several other airspace developments.