Clapham Old Town Flat | Existing Conditions & Initial Thoughts
I have been hired to breathe new life into a two bedroom property located in South West London. The Victorian property was subdivided into three separate flats, but a previous renovation in 2006 was poorly done, leaving the flat in desperate need of refurbishment. My task is to reimagine and revitalize this space to create a comfortable home for a young, creative professional. I will be providing full architectural, interior design, client rep, and construction administration scope for this renovation. This is my smallest project in terms of physical square footage, but my largest project in terms of intimate involvement with client, freeholders, contractors and suppliers. I consider this my first ‘solo’ project which has been daunting but super, super exciting. I will be writing and posting more about this project throughout it’s construction, but from the get go, characteristics about the flat are driving initial design decisions. The flat has a unique, laterally arranged floor plan with large nooks that inherently define the space and function of the space. The existing EPC rating is at a low D. The client has intensions to rent out this property in a few years. By 2025, all rental properties in the UK need to have an EPC rating of C or better.
How do we make the flat feel as spacious and open as possible while maintaining a feeling of coziness?
How do we maximize the long term, energy efficiency of the flat while minimizing cost?
How can we strike a balance between the functional requirements of a household and the pursuit of architectural clarity?
