The project has involved the careful re-construction of the buildings two main timber elements.

1)      The front/rear façade

2)      The rear bridge that leads from the open-plan first floor living space to the private garden.

These elements had previously undergone largely unsuccessful attempts of repair, where the original softwood timber members were replaced with tropical Hardwoods on an ad-hock basis. Since then, the timber sections had become severely damaged with decay and mould growth, which had been worsened by a previous impervious paint being applied to the timber. Iroko timber has been used for the reinstated façade and timber suspension bridge due to due to its superior appearance, durability and stability – and as it was most in keeping with the original appearance of the timber used on the building.

The sustainability upgrades where carefully selected to improve the thermal performance and heating systems of the property without compromising the special historic qualities of the building.

The characteristics of the façade created a key challenge for how best to improve the buildings thermal performance. The front and rear elevations are formed of; floor-to-ceiling single glazed panels and glass louvres suspended between vertical timber mullions, timber cladding boards and sand lime facing brickwork.

To improve the buildings thermal performance the existing glazing has been replaced with extremely high-performing vacuum glazing, while the existing glass louvres have been retained for their heritage value. Insulation has been incorporated into the roof build-up, while ensuring the roof remains ventilated to reduce the risk of condensation. An Air-water ASHP has been installed to enable sustainable radiator space heating to the property, as the existing electric underfloor heating was no longer fit for purpose and dated back to the original construction.

Inside the property the project has required a highly detailed and sensitive approach to the existing fitted interior furniture, much of which was built by the architect himself. The project has also involved refurbishing the bathrooms and minor adaptions to the existing rear facing bedrooms to create a more generous interior.

History

Michael Brawne (1925-2003) was born in Vienna, and was evacuated to Scotland in 1939. His father was a painter, teaching at the Bauhaus. Michael Brawne achieved distinction in practice, education and scholarship. He became an authority on library, museum and exhibition design, designing the National Library of Sri Lanka, and a number of projects in Germany, publishing the ‘New Museum’ (1966) and ‘Libraries: architecture and equipment’ (1970). He taught first at Cambridge University before appointment to the Chair of Architecture at Bath University (1978-1990) where he collaborated with Ted Happold to create a joint school of engineering and architecture.

Building:

The front and rear elevations are formed of; floor-to-ceiling glazing panels and glass louvres suspended between vertical timber mullions, timber cladding boards and sand lime facing brickwork.

The external envelope of the building developed a method for detailing the front and rear facades with a strong vertical emphasis to hold authority alongside the Victorian houses which dominated the street.

The original structural design of the property was carefully planned to provide a flexible living space that could be adapted in the future to changing family dynamics – with a separate ‘granny flat’ on ground floor. The three-storey, semi-detached house occupies the full width of the narrow site, the slope of which rises steeply from north (front) to south (rear). The party walls are cavity brickwork, which support the precast concrete floors which span between and allow the internal layouts to be flexible with non-structural walls.

South Hill Park was one of a group of new, infill houses built by architects for themselves in South Hill Park (see also 78 South Hill Park, 1963-65 by Brian Housden and 80-90 South Hill Park, a terrace of six houses, built 1954-6 to the designs of Stanley Amis and William and Gillian Howell, for themselves and four other families). The land the house was built on was a vacant site owned by fellow architect Brian Housden who sold it to the Brawnes after he bought another site for his own house on South Hill Park, later known as Housden House. After the house was completed, friends of the family purchased the other half of the site and built a house for themselves (designed by TG Ingersoll) in a similar style to 31 as well having as key some noticeable differences – including a timber clad bay window to the street facing façade. 

Sources:

Books and journals

Hope, A, Town Houses, (1963)

Whiting, P, New Houses, (1964)

‘Architectural Review’ in Architectural Review , (November 1961), 345-50

‘Marie Claire (France)’ in Marie Claire (France), (April 1968), 208 -11

‘Domus’ in , (November 1962 ), 22-29

‘Elle (France)’ in Elle (France) , (14 February 1964), 80 - 83

Harper’s Bazaa

Along with the refurbishment and reinstatement of the original external facades, the proposals have required a very delicate and sensitive approach to the existing fitted interior furniture, much of it believed to have been built by Michael Brawne himself. The approach is to sensitively upgrade and repair.

Project Details:

Architect: MAP Architecture

Structural Engineer: Paul Owens

M&E Energy Consultants: Max Fordham

Size: 130 sqm

Number of bedrooms/units: 3 bedrooms with separate ‘granny flat’ on ground floor

Dates: Start on site May 2025