anchor

Wharf 78

Andy Matthews Studio transforms a small apartment in East London into a cool, calm and collected New York loft-style home.

On the second floor of a listed former wharf building in the historic riverside district of Wapping, the 55 m2 one-bedroom apartment was poorly planned with a lot of wasted space and an unwelcoming interior. The client-architect collaboration realises the home’s potential by thoughtfully reworking the layout, transforming flow and maximising light and space while reinstating character and reframing the apartment to suit the client’s lifestyle.

Unlocking the plan was vital to making the most of the dark, compact home. The design intelligently reworks the layout, replacing the small, enclosed kitchen and bathroom with an intervention – the pod - at the centre of the apartment. The bespoke timber pod (made of birch plywood) contains a kitchenette, bathroom, building services and wardrobe. Configuring these elements brings visual clarity to the centre of the home while maximising the surrounding living space.

Natural light is enhanced through the reworking of the layout, providing uninterrupted light flow from both sides of the plan. The pod, wrapped in hard-wearing white laminate, also helps bounce light around the home.

With a design focused on amplifying character, the apartment has been stripped back to the bones. Unsympathetic plasterboard and linings have been removed, revealing brickwork and structural steelwork underneath. Bedded among the bricks are the cut ends of steel beams, echoes of the building’s past before its conversion into housing.

The material palette is pared back. Steel, concrete and brick combine with rich-toned timber flooring, creating a space that feels modern, warm, and domestic. Window frames and steelwork are painted dark anthracite, providing a counterpoint to the off-white walls.

By merging the kitchen and living areas, the design takes advantage of the awkward entryway behind the front door, transforming it into a space for entertaining or working from home. An off-black custom-made Buster + Punch freestanding island has been tailored to suit the kitchen/living layout and the client's specific needs. The unit is crafted from solid metal with black hardware and a stainless steel countertop, its industrial edge complementing the apartment's loft-style aesthetic. Many of the home's finishing touches, including beautifully detailed switches, sockets and hardware, are also from Buster + Punch.

“The design is perfect. As soon as I moved in, it felt right. When I found it, the space was unloved and badly planned – I needed a partner to work with who could see past the existing interior and help realise the vision for a simple, well-designed home within this beautiful old city warehouse. We transformed every single surface, and the result feels like an elegant, peaceful space with a high-quality finish.”

- Client

“The brief was to transform this outdated apartment into a home that was made for and is all about our client. Our approach was collaborative, inventive and resourceful, drawing on influences from retail and hospitality to create a tranquil home rich with character and detail.

A key design move was the pod. The intervention is a discrete service element within the centre of the plan containing all the functions required for the home – kitchenette, bathroom, building services and wardrobe for the bedroom – the day-to-day life stuff you often don’t want to see. The pod not only opens up the living space, but the visual clarity brings a sense of order and calmness to the apartment.

The result is a home that reflects our client’s unique needs, tastes and desires – a haven to call her own while she begins the next phase of her life.”

- Andy Matthews, Director, Andy Matthews Studio

Notes to editors

For more information about Wharf 78 contact Michelle Lewis Communications, michelle@michellelewiscomms.com, 07855 854 874

Download press kit here.

Andy Matthews Studio

Andy Matthews Studio creates sustainable, meaningful architecture that makes people's lives better. Founded in 2021, the studio's inventive spirit and collaborative ethos have led to commissions across sectors and scales, including housing, workplace, community and retail projects. They are one of just a handful of architecture practices pioneering the 4-day week.

andymatthews.studio

@andymatthews.studio

Project Details

Location: Wapping, London

Gross internal floor area: 55 m2

Team

Client: Private

Architect: Andy Matthews Studio

Structural engineer: Conisbee

M&E consultant: Co2o

Acoustic consultant: Adnitt Acoustics

Contractor: VND Contracts