Nestled within Walthamstow’s Victorian neighborhood, the Catching Sun House reimagines a neglected garage site into a sunlit, green sanctuary. Designed by architect Mark Shaw of Studioshaw for his own use, the project overcame complex urban constraints, including 27 party wall agreements, to create a secluded retreat that harmonizes with its surroundings.
Design Philosophy: Light, Privacy, and Nature
- Sunlit Living Spaces: The house is meticulously oriented to channel sunlight into its core, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing a lush central courtyard.
- Visual Seclusion: Strategic planting and preserved sightlines ensure the ground floor living areas feel entirely private, despite bordering multiple homes.
Sustainable Innovation
At just 100sqm, the compact home prioritizes eco-efficiency:
- Passive Ventilation + Heat Recovery: Combines natural airflow with a whole-house heat recovery system.
- Air Source Heat Pump & Insulation: Minimizes energy use while maintaining year-round comfort.
- Triple Courtyard Strategy: Three distinct outdoor zones enhance biodiversity and light penetration.
Botanical Integration
Collaborating with gardener Charlie Hawkes, Shaw infused the design with tropical and subtropical flora:
- Large-leaf plants blur indoor-outdoor boundaries.
- Dense shrubs and flowerbeds frame intimate outdoor spaces, including a main courtyard for gatherings and two smaller niches for quiet reflection.
At a modest 100sqm, the house has been planned around sustainable principles. This includes a passive ventilation strategy combined with an air source heat pump, high levels of insulation and a whole-house heat recovery ventilation system, creating a comfortable ambient temperature year-round with minimal energy costs.
A study area is located on the first floor
The outdoor space consists of three separate courtyards, each one assigned a distinct function. Shaw worked with the gardener Charlie Hawkes to devise the planting scheme, which makes effective use of large leaf tropical and sub-tropical specimens, inside and out, as well as dense shrubs and flowerbeds. A large courtyard serves as the main outdoor space, with two smaller spaces adding biodiversity and more light-capturing opportunities.
Looking back into the house from the main courtyard
The first external space is a planted courtyard that serves as the access corridor, leading visitors into the main space with its sliding glass walls and clerestory window overlooking the main courtyard. These high-level windows catch the tops of nearby trees, adding to the sense of green seclusion, and there are also views to the nearby Walthamstow Marshes. Finally, there is an outdoor bathroom located off the main bedroom, an unusual choice for East London but a space that adds to the feeling of verdant isolation.
The outdoor bath can be seen beyond the main bedroom
Materials are kept simple and straightforward, with exposed concrete block interior walls, aluminium framed windows and timber cladding, all set beneath a lightweight mono-pitched timber roof. Ceilings go right up to the pitch of the roof, allowing for high level views of treetops and sky.
High level windows frame the sky
‘More than just a home, this project embodies a philosophy of wellbeing and sustainable design that is at the core of what Studioshaw stands for; daylight, greenery, and thoughtful spaces come together to create a sanctuary,’ says Shaw, ‘The interplay between built form and nature fosters a restorative environment and offers a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of urban life.’
The view from the interior gives little clue as to the built-in surroundings
(Image credit: James Brittain)
Studioshaw.co.uk, @Studioshaw
🔗 Source: https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/residential/an-architects-own-home-offers-a-refined-and-leafy-retreat-from-its-east-london-surroundings
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Note: This article was reviewed and edited by the ArchUp editorial team to ensure accuracy and quality.
