The Courtyard House – A Narrow London Home De Rosee Sa

This small house was built in a space previously occupied by a garage. The project, dubbed the Courtyard House, is based in the bustling city of London in the United Kingdom.

The clients approached the architects, De Rosee Sa, with the desire to demolish an existing garage, in order to make way for a new two bedroom home.

The site consists of a long, narrow plot of land with 1184-square-feet (110-square-meters) of available space. It’s sandwiched between a series of terrace gardens to the rear, and other garages to the front and sides. Planning stipulated that the house was to be built over a single level only, so as not to overshadow the adjacent structures.

The Courtyard House features no less than three external courtyards over it’s length. These were introduced so as to ensure the property had adequate natural lighting throughout the length of the home. They also help shape the arrangement of the internal rooms.

Natural light from the courtyards was bolstered with skylights in the living areas. The first courtyard is set below ground level, creating a sunken basement that leads into the home’s second bedroom (which comes complete with its own en-suite and plant room).

On the main floor, you’ll find a living room and kitchen, again separated by a courtyard. In the summer months, the owners can open up a series of Crittal doors to create a single large room. The interior is finished in subdued tones throughout, namely white and wood.

To the front of the home, there’s another courtyard. This one is used to separate the driveway from the house. There’s also space for storage, bins and bikes. From the architects: “The material palette was kept simple to allow the different spaces to flow into each other, using off white walls, cedar battens and oak parquet flooring. The spaces were then framed by the black crittall style windows and doors.”

For more small houses check out House H, an old studio turned into a bright contemporary home. Or, this house from Taiwan that’s just 13-feet-wide. See all small houses.

Via ArchDaily
Photos: Alexander James Photography