Stanton Williams were commissioned to design a new residence for a private client in Hampstead. The house will replace an existing but unremarkable 1950s building in Hampstead Village, at the heart of the Conservation Area.

The sensitive location is notable for its proximity to a number of listed buildings, grand Georgian mansions, and high garden walls. A contextual design approach relates the new building to the strong architectural elements of the neighbourhood, while creating an identifiably contemporary home, rich in spatial experience.

The new house will create a spacious, comfortable and high quality family home for long-term use. Characterised by a complex arrangement of volumes and a rich palette of materials that includes brick, stone, render and bronze, the project reflects the detailed analysis of the conservation area’s qualities, whilst developing a contemporary architectural language. 

The historic streets and lanes of Hampstead Village are typically bordered by garden walls and houses, yet this defining characteristic has been lost where the 1950s house and its neighbour step back from the pavement to create a driveway. The design concept for Hampstead House restores the original alignment with a continuous boundary wall which acts as a textured, protective shell.

Its sculpted form adapts to the site and relates to the varying scales of surrounding buildings and garden walls.

Conceived as a carved volume, the form of the house hides spaces, creates entrances, rooms and courtyards. Open plan, flexible social areas on the ground floor are connected to the garden and courtyards. Large, full height windows and balcony at first floor optimise these spatial connections between the interior and surrounding landscape while maximising natural daylight. On the facades facing public routes, slot windows with translucent glass provide privacy, while adding permeability at street level.

By restoring a unique character of Hampstead Village, the house will add significant value to the Conservation Area. The massing is a sensitive response to the existing height and sight lines of surrounding historic properties, and creates a contemporary building which both compliments the distinctiveness and quality of local architecture and follows a tradition of individual, architect-designed houses which contribute to the rich tapestry of Hampstead.