From an Abandoned Brick-Firing Plot to a Striking, Sustainable Home — The Designer Gave New Life to This Street Corner in North London

Ten years on from the passing of the 'Queen of the Curve', Zaha Hadid, this Gospel Oak home proves her architectural influence is still as alive today as it has ever been.

In this sustainable home, curved walls, circular windows, and a long, winding staircase flow into one another, creating an innate sense of fluidity and movement within the property. The third project from Flawk, the small-scale property developer founded by Ashley Law, maintains the studio's signature style of 'refined playfulness', equal parts function and fun. There is a childlike sense of creativity and wonder in all her developments, as well as a deeply thoughtful approach to materials and sustainability.

In Runda (the property's name), Ashley demonstrates how constraints and creativity go hand in hand, developing new ideas and stretching her imagination to create a home that fits both her eco-conscious design approach and the physical boundaries of this unique property.

The Inspiration

A leading factor in Flawk's design philosophy is the idea of bringing new life to forgotten or neglected corners of London, and this project was no different. While Gospel Oak itself, a small residential area bordering Hampstead Heath, is ripe with neighborhood charm, the plot where this house stands was seemingly removed from this sense of community.

A former brick-firing plot, when the team first came across this property, it had been entirely abandoned, left overgrown and uninhabitable. This background became a significant source of inspiration for Ashley, who says, "The history of the plot as a previous brickworks was a big inspiration, and it directly influenced the two-toned brick facade of Runda. The dark-to-light brick transition is a nod to the brick firing process, which historically took place on the site."

Equally, she turned to the architectural greats for guidance in this process. "I love Gaudi's interior wall and ceiling forms; I really admire the fluidity," she explains. "That idea is something we've embedded within the project, of course, in our own design language."

Most distinctly, though, the corner home was marked by a curving boundary wrapping around the home; a feature that went on to become the leading inspiration for the property's construction and curved walls. "That geometry became the project’s guiding line, informing both the footprint and the language of the architecture," says Ashley.

Working alongside NIKJOO, the team at Flawk worked to develop a sustainable, considered design that both honored the home's history and brought it into the modern day, building a new life and language for this property to exist within.

The Process

Creating a design that felt in line with its surroundings, and also referenced the building's history, were two key aims for Flawk, and the materials they chose were pivotal in achieving this.

The dual-toned brickwork of the building's exterior shell allowed for the construction of a home that advanced upon the height of its surrounding buildings, while maintaining the illusion of cohesion.

"It is quite important for us to respect local context and thus the height of the darker bricks matches the height of the neighboring buildings (our windows are in line with the neighboring windows on the front facade as well)", says Ashley.

The lighter-toned upper level brings a levity and airiness to the design, which is emphasized by several circular, porthole windows and skylights that bring the same lightness of the exterior into the interiors, too.

While the bricks were chosen for the need for continuity and visual cohesion with its surroundings, the timber frame reflects the other priority within this design: sustainability. As Ashley explains, "The timber frame helps lower embodied carbon relative to conventional masonry construction."

This, paired with the green roof and air-source heat pump, achieved the projected 62% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with current Part L1 standards. "We embed sustainable practices at all scales within Runda," says Ashley.

While the timber frame and green roof are perhaps the most obvious embodiments of this, this approach is maintained throughout the home. All the timber is "consciously sourced timber from local fallen and felled trees," and all the marble comes from offcuts, Ashley explains.

The approach to sustainability goes far beyond sourcing sustainable materials, though. Flawk aims not only to prevent harm to the environment but also actively works to support and uplift the community within which its projects exist — as demonstrated by their work with STORE Project.

Explaining this collaboration, Ashley explains, "For our fixings, we worked with STORE Project on an afterschool club series 'supporting more young people from underrepresented backgrounds applying to creative courses, and addressing the social imbalance in art, design, and architecture education through a summer program walking the students through various making skills."

Through this initiative, young people were trained in 3D modeling, printing, scanning, as well as mold making and ceramic casting, using these skills to produce brilliant, uniquely textural handles and details for this project.

Ashley actively sought out local artisans and designers to highlight in this project. "For our specialist joinery, we worked with London-based joiner Graeme Spencer Smith, supporting young independent makers as opposed to large corporations. Finally, we collaborated with local artists, makers, and vintage dealers to furnish the home, which in turn prevents overconsumption and waste," she says.

The Design

There is a quiet minimalist interior design quality that runs throughout the home, with an emphasis on texture and materiality over prints or patterns, along with Japandi elements that make for a natural pairing with the Scandinavian color palettes used.

Although a general focus on materiality is a theme running through the home, there is one material that looms particularly large. "Inside, timber defines the atmosphere," says Ashley. Upon entrance, you're greeted by wooden wall paneling that sets the tone for the rest of the home. This mixed-tone finish adds character and personality to the space, offering a wonderful contrast to the stainless steel kitchen counters and oven hood.

"A bespoke concrete ‘bean’ corner counter, its curve referencing the site’s geometry, softens the junction between walls," says Ashley. Beneath this curved counter, a cafe curtain made from materials Ashley collected across her travels brings an additional layer of softness to this space.

⁠Despite how natural and free-flowing this project may appear in its final state, this was by no means the original nature of the home.

"The site is a more awkward infill plot featuring tapering sides and a curved corner. No walls are parallel or perpendicular, presenting quite a challenge in how to design a spacious family home," says Ashley.

Nonetheless, Ashley was determined to bring her vision of an open, welcoming family home to life. And while it wasn't easy, by committing to certain design non-negotiables, Ashley was able to achieve this vision.

"It was also very important to us to have tall ceiling heights on the ground floor, opening up the space," she says. With this in mind, designing the placement of windows and rooflights around the curved staircase becomes integral to the success of the design.

"We created a generous hallway on the first floor with a large rooflight above, flooding the space with natural light. The curve motif throughout also helped soften the strong angles of the sides and rear boundaries of the site, enhancing the 'open' feeling," says Ashley.

Recreate the Look

If you're a fan of this eco-conscious, sustainable design approach, it's worth taking note of these resolutions that you can make this year to ensure your renovation projects are more sustainable.