DMA

A light-filled, calm and joyful space replaces a semi-derelict and dark collection of box rooms in the basement and backyard of a six-storey mansion block in Fitzrovia. The rooms, which had been very basic living space in two rooms at the front of the building, a workshop at the back and an outside toilet, were separate spaces, purchased over a period of 20 years. These disparate spaces were linked by incorporating the outside yard as a connector, with a glazed ceiling bringing light into the centre of the plan and allowing spaces to flow into each other. Floors and ceilings, which had all been at different heights, are unified with a new, continuous floor and a ribbon-like spiral stair linking to the upper level and a tiny roof terrace above. The only doors are to the bathrooms.

The building fabric has been upgraded for environmental performance but, from the outside, there is no visible change. Inside is a complete transformation. Solid white surfaces (resin floor, Corian countertops, mosaic tiling) catch light from the rooflights, and are chosen for longevity, with splashes of colour in the furnishings and bespoke fireplaces making it fun. Views are deliberately created within the flat, from spaces into other spaces instead of out of windows, which are opaque by necessity. It is calm and bright, a space to contemplate and play.