CASE STUDY NATURAL REMEDIES


Architect Ben Ridley used all of his expertise to upgrade an ageing London dwelling to create a low energy home for his family, whose minimalist interiors bring a focus on the natural materials used


TEXT TOM BODDY IMAGES LORENZO ZANDRI & CHRISTIAN BRAILEY


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n the leafy London suburb of Muswell Hill, an outmoded Edwardian terraced house has been brought back to life and transformed into a low energy family home. With an experienced architect at the helm of the build, energy usage has been dramatically reduced, including via Passivhaus-level design in some areas. While the original facade has been retained, the interior offers a clutter-free, contemporary design, filled with natural textures and simple layouts. While many self-builders may be novices, Ben


Ridley, architect and founder of Architecture for London, has a variety of experience under his belt in the design and build of homes. He has always been passionate about sustainable design. During his studies at University College London, he picked up the Sir Andrew Taylor Environmental Design award, fuelling this enthusiasm further.


Since establishing his own practice in 2009, Ben has been a part of several award winning projects and ensures that low energy design is prioritised in all of their projects.


But although he has extensive experience in conceptualising and delivering ideas for clients, designing a space for himself and his family was


24 www.sbhonline.co.uk


something he’d not previously experienced. Their idea was to find an unloed home and turn it into a contemporary space that worked well for him, his wife and their daughter. At the same time, Ben’s ambition was to


create an eemplary demonstration of how a traditional terraced building can be successfully adapted to reduce energy use.  wanted it to be designed so that it could be built within a reasonably tight budget, this was key to show that low energy retrofit could be scaled to the city, and een nationwide, asserts Ben. The house he found in Muswell Hill, originally built in 1907 and not refurbished since the s, was the perfect fit, says Ben. There are woodlands and parks nearby, and it’s an easy commute by bike to his office in arringdon. The house was in poor condition however, and in need of a full refurbishment. As well as suffering from considerable dampness and condensation issues, there were large amounts of mould. According to Ben, this was the result of non-breathable cement-based renders and plasters which had trapped moisture. The interior was dark; as the garden was north facing, the rooms at the back of the house


mar/apr 2023


HIGH POINT oing into the home


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