Henning Stummel Architects

Tin House

Tin House
© Gavriil Papadiotis

TIN HOUSE

Henning Stummel Architects

ENGINEERING
Michael Hadi Associates

MANUFACTURERS
Investwood, New Terracotta, Ssab

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Henning Stummel & Eliana Sousa

AREA
260 M²

YEAR
2015

CATEGORY
Houses

LOCATION
London, United Kingdom

Set in a Victorian neighbourhood, this backland site is overlooked on all sides. Our response was to develop a low, inward-looking courtyard house, offering both visual and acoustic privacy. The design is a composition of pavilions.

Tin House
© Tim Soar
Tin House
© Tim Soar

This breaking down into the elements allowed us to respond to an irregular site boundary and to create an ensemble that looks onto a calm pool of water within a tranquil courtyard.

Each pavilion accommodates a room. These spaces have pyramidal roofs with a generous top light over the centre. The roof shape has a low contour and maximizes spatial volume.

Tin House
© Tim Soar
Tin House
© Tim Soar
Tin House
© Tim Soar

The top light above brings the spaces to life. The roof-lights can be opened and on warm days the stack effect ensures that fresh cool air is drawn in from above the pool.

For the bedrooms trapezoid, blackout blinds were specially developed. The living room has a fireplace with a wood burning stove.

The flue, which has to be higher than adjacent buildings, is a tall brick chimney on a square plan, tapering elegantly.

Tin House
© Tim Soar
Tin House
© Tim Soar
Tin House
© Tim Soar

It resembles a campanile overlooking the ensemble. Secondary spaces such as washrooms, storage, and stairs are concealed within the double walls in between the pavilions.

The pavilions are super-insulated (250mm of PY foam) and relatively airtight. A heat-recovery air system ensures energy efficient ventilation throughout the colder months.

The pavilions are clad in a standing seam metal cladding, a modest utilitarian finish that accentuates the sculptural quality of the design.

Tin House
© Tim Soar
Tin House
© Tim Soar


Tin House
© Tim Soar
Tin House
© Tim Soar


Tin House
Ground floor plan / 1st floor plan
Tin House
Sections 2-4
Tin House
Sections 5-6
Tin House
Detail

Henning Stummel Architects
T +44 20 87490794
Henning Stummel Architects
Tin House, 2 Smugglers Yard, 2 Devonport Rd, London W12 8HU, United Kingdom