The designers of this house have drawn inspiration from the past. Ancient civilisations evolved domestic architecture through the use of local materals and the need to temper the local climate. In ancient Rome, the house was built around a central open atrium, which provided light and air in the core of the house and allowed for natural ventilation in hot summers.

This design takes the idea of the atrium as the core, but puts it within the established British Victorian terrace. The terrace is almost infinitely flexible.

The design adopts a 4.5m clear internal width. A circulation zone runs along one wall with a storage zone alongside. The central atrium has a retractable roof that allows the space to act as an environmental buffer in winter and a source of ventilation in summer. More than this, the atrium provides nature at the heart of the home, becoming a courtyard, a garden, an additional living space, and a provider of light and air.

A straight flight stair ascends to one side of the atrium, allowing for extension onto the roof level to provide further bedrooms or living spaces. The roof is a natural resource that can provide ecological benefits as a green roof, small home allotment or terrace.

The house is constructed from precast Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) concrete party wall cassettes, which allow for future extensions. PFA is a by-product from coal-fired power stations.

Internal walls, floors and roof are all formed in timber structural insulated panels (SIPS). The atrium is largely glazed to internal rooms, with a translucent insulated glazed wall onto the staircase.

A car share club offers convenient, cheap car use, freeing the street from cars and allowing it to become a place to meet, eat, grow, play, recycle and power. A community combined heat and power unit meets hot water and heating for the street and a proportion of electrical demand. Photovoltaic canopies charge the car club’s hybrid cars.

© British Homes Awards |  Site design: LW design