The Proposal The Arches is a collection of six contemporary townhouses situated in the Dartmouth Park conservation area in North-West London. Located near the renowned Grove Terrace, one of London's most stunning Georgian terraces, the site is rich in historical charm.
Our initial design concept was inspired by the lush green spaces along Highgate Road, which have played a significant role in the area's history. Our early discussions with Camden focused on reconnecting the two adjacent public green areas on either side of the site.
Our goal was to reinstate the green lung, mirroring its appearance from 1873—a futuristic tribute to the Victorian era.
This new green space acts as a buffer for the proposed architecture behind it, consisting of six mews houses. From Highgate Road, these houses appear as single-storey structures, preserving the clear, uninterrupted green line when viewed from the street.
To enhance the Victorian architectural character, the entrances to the houses are located on College Lane, harmonizing with the surrounding historic cottages further south along the road.
The Architecture The architectural design of the new houses was carefully crafted in response to feedback from the Local Design Review Panel, which comprises local academics, planners, architects, and designers.
Given David's upbringing in the area and Daniel's close proximity, the design process began instinctively. We believed it was fitting to have a small mass at the rear, using local London stock brick and incorporating arches that pay homage to the area's colors and the railway arches adjacent to the site.
The site features numerous railway arches, tunnels, and bridges, making it natural to incorporate elements that reference this significant infrastructure.
During our university years, we explored the idea of rejecting contextual considerations to focus solely on exploratory architecture. However, in this project, we managed to strike a balance by embracing both the context and the radical exploration of architectural design.
Our study of local buildings in the surrounding area revealed the evolution of Neo-Classical British Architecture, drawing inspiration from classical Venetian Pallazzos, Palladian designs, and Inigo Jones' architectural language.
These buildings showcased a compelling blend of rectangles and arches set within a brick canvas, a common feature in the Dartmouth Park Conservation Area. We were particularly intrigued by the Roman arches and the use of a rendered rusticated base on the ground floor.
These historical influences led us to refine the existing design elements in the area to their purest forms—the rectangle and the arch—serving as the foundation of our design process.
The new houses are positioned only slightly higher than the original petrol station, allowing ample light to reach the ground floor windows of the neighboring Denyer House.
A green roof covers all of the houses, offering residents a view of wildflowers and greenery from above and creating a habitat for various birds, insects, and wildlife.
During the public consultation in the planning stages, it was interesting to learn that the current abandoned petrol station, with its graffiti-like appearance, attracted antisocial behavior. The residents expressed their desire for new homes to breathe life into this once-empty and sometimes unsafe part of College Lane, especially during nighttime.
The Construction & Sustainability
The old petrol station, which had been on the site since the 1950s, was deemed a negative contributor to the local conservation area by the council due to its large forecourt and oversized canopy obstructing long views across the site.
Cleaning up the contaminated site became a valuable opportunity associated with this project. Our first step was to safely remove the old 1950s petrol tanks, remediate any contaminated soil, and transform the area into a new open and safe green public space.
We employed timber-framed construction wherever possible. The planners requested that we excavate the ground to create a subterranean structure, resulting in reinforced concrete retaining walls. Within these walls, a lightweight prefabricated timber structure was assembled off-site and then brought together in a matter of days. The giant arches are supported by lightweight steel cross-bracing.
To promote sustainability, we installed a green roof to harvest rainwater and integrated photovoltaic panels on the roof to generate renewable power for the homes.
For the façade, we selected Ibstock Bexhill Red Multi bricks and explored different brick bonding patterns to differentiate various sections of the building and provide visual coherence to each façade. The arches themselves were constructed from precast concrete in controlled factory conditions, departing from traditional wet construction methods. These concrete arches were then adorned with brick slips.
The Dwellings / Layout Each house spans approximately 130 square meters and features 3-4 bedrooms, a study, and a garden room.
The proposed dwellings share a similar layout, with entrances accessible from College Lane. Due to the sloping nature of the land, the entrances are either flush with the pathway or accessed via a stepped entrance.
All properties boast a front garden that incorporates a private bin storage area, an entranceway, and a lightwell that brings natural illumination to the rooms facing College Lane on the lower ground floor.
The lower ground level comprises two additional bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a lightwell facing the College Lane façade.
The basement level offers an open-plan living and kitchen space that opens out onto the sunken rear garden, offering views of Highgate Road and the newly created grassed area.
Despite being close to the main road, the stepped nature of the site ensures that this lower level does not feel like a typical basement. The living spaces enjoy a secluded ambiance with ample natural light.
