Jonathan Woolf's Painted House occupies the exact footprint and volume of a pair of 1920s semi-detached houses that previously stood on the site.
Photograph: Helene Binet
Jonathan Woolf's Painted House occupies the exact footprint and volume of a pair of 1920s semi-detached houses that previously stood on the site. Guardian
8 Comments
i don't get it. i read the article and - if i didn't see the thing itself - i might understand the problem and the approach.
the spaces inside may be stunning, but this shell (the only thing we get to see and, apparently, the reason the project is notable) is remarkably unattractive.
fail.
Much more information, including pdfs of plans both original and new, here.
I imagine the way a large family would occupy the interior spaces would be pretty awesome - I wish the interior photos showed more of the personalizing of the living rooms.
But: I agree with you, Steven, that the exterior is remarkably unattractive. The linked article includes a little model that shows how bulky the thing is. The bulk and proportion seem intentionally ugly - understandable in light of the planning refusal, yes, but I don't think spite is ever a good place to start one's work. Remember Kahn? Always approach the blank sheet of paper with joy.
And while I applaud the experiment of not fetishizing precious materials in the project, when doing minimal work I think the quality of the materials ends up being emphasized whether one likes it or not. The Flemish bond brick above look nice enough - warm, workman-like - but the windows and door just look cheap, and not well-detailed in the brick. Can I quote another master? Less is more work - Rick Joy. When dealing with such a severe palette, the proportions and materials have to be perfect.
Oops, hope the link works for everyone - apparently I've exceeded my limit for reading bdonline articles. There's a historic photo that seems to be the house that was replaced. I'd say the volume may have been duplicated, but it's clearly displaced very differently (and much less charmingly) in the new project.
Whatever you think of the interiors ("Shoreditch Loft Contemporary" made me vomit a little bit in my mouth...), the exterior is a direct result of the UK's horrendous planning system. It's massively conservative and inflexible.
This client was trying to facilitate a way of living which is so alien to the kind of tweed-wearing curtain twitchers who sit on council planning commitees. Sadly people are often left with no real option but to just take the path of least reistance.
I like the model lb. Seems sort of Brutalist in it's bulk. But in nice gray(ish) brick.
As for the interior spaces the don't seem anything special for such a large family and if anything I agree with you that in this case that the planning refusal which "forced" him to do this bit of historicist volume(izing) was an opportunity not taken..
here's a multi-page PDF from woolf's website.
also, no one's disgusted by an 8,100 sf house for one family?!?
Holz,
the family is a family of South East Asian Jain's that live in an extended family of 11 + according to article...
According to the article, holz, it's an 11-member extended three-generation family, so 8,100 doesn't seem super-excessive.
Understood, antipod, but I'll bet the tweedies on the planning committee didn't require an industrial metal door in a punched - hidden lintels, I generally hate them! - brick opening. They probably would have preferred a true brick arch, or at least a flat arch, or a limestone or at least cast stone lintel - so doing a plain punched opening feels, to me, aggressive and spiteful. The elegant detail on the interior, to me, reinforces this goal of being unfriendly on the outside.
i know mormon households as large, that are less than 3600 sf...
i realize it's multigenerational - i worked on a multigenerational project that was 9 people, 3,000 sf + garage
if you figure a 120sf bedroom pp x 11 people, that leaves over 6750 sf for circulation, common areas, restrooms... it's a bit ridiculous, multigenerational or not.
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