9 Lexham Gardens Mews
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London, UK
9 Lexham Gardens Mews,
London, W8 5JQ
Royal Borough of Kensington
and Chelsea
Magnificent Basement Co Ltd
January 2021
65 m2
£ 350,000.00
£1,000,000.00
Studio Greenstone
Michael Baldwin, Hadi Sarmadi,
Arsalan Tahouni
Magnificent Basement Co. Ltd
Duffy Associates, Ground Sun, Solarcrest
Vario, Green Building Store, Truss Tec
Arsalan Tahouni, Michael Baldwin
Garage Conversion and Outbuilding,
History
Originally serving as a storage workshop, the existing structure was a modest timber clad building atop a brick wall. However, its worn-out condition and lack of utility necessitated a transformative approach. Recognizing the site's significance as a visual link between terrace houses and the mews, the Planning office mandated that the replacement development must mirror the design, footprint, scale, and above-ground massing of the original garage. In essence, the aim was to construct a sleek and eco-friendly passive house that seamlessly integrated with the surrounding architectural context while resembling a garage.
Before Refurbishment
Smart Passive House
Introduction
In the quest to overcome planning restrictions, the Architect of this project took a bold approach, infusing an urban industrial style into the traditional elements of a garage. By seamlessly integrating materials commonly found in the historic west London Mews, such as brick, timber, and steel, they achieved a remarkable result. The combination of these materials, expertly crafted in a modern manner, has given rise to a distinctive building that effortlessly stands out amidst its architectural counterparts. The traditional London stock brick facade immediately catches your eye, boasting a magnificent large 3-leaf timber door. Adding a touch of history, the door proudly rests beneath a rugged oak beam lintel that once graced a Shropshire train station. The timber cladding, meticulously cut to match the dimensions of the brickwork, merges flawlessly with the reclaimed brickwork at the corner. From the captivating facade to the meticulous integration of brick and timber, every detail has been carefully considered.
Bedroom
Kitchen and Living Room
Smart Passive House
Attributes
Upon entering through the main door, you'll be greeted by a captivating view of the entire ground floor, setting the tone for the rest of the house. The open living space boasts generous dimensions, allowing for a seamless transition between different areas. One of the most notable features of this passive house is the abundance of natural light that fills the interior. Strategically incorporated, four new openings maximize the influx of daylight. With two openings in the walls and two large rooflights, a perfect balance is achieved between the indoors and outdoors. A slim steel staircase adorned with oak steps and handrails beckons you to explore the levels below, located beneath the largest rectangular rooflight. The staircase's slender design ensures that the overhead daylight accompanies you as you descend, creating a captivating interplay of light and shadow. The bedroom's large windows provide a delightful view of a serene and inviting lightwell. Positioned to offer tranquillity and a connection with nature, the lightwell serves as a peaceful haven within the house. Adding to the allure, a spiral staircase leads to the lightwell, inviting you to step outside and immerse yourself in the beauty of the surroundings.
Smart Passive House
Characteristics
Step through the hall and enter an oasis of tranquillity. Behind the opaquely glazed door lies a spacious bathroom designed to impress. Its heated marble floor creates a welcoming ambiance, while the minimalistic walk-in shower adds a touch of modern elegance. Positioned beyond the hand cast concrete basin, you'll find the heart of this bathroom, a state-of-the-art services room that serves as the nerve centre for the passive house.
The services room is where an Austrian engineered air source heat pump takes centre stage, efficiently producing all the heating and cooling required for the building. It not only caters to the hot water needs but also powers a series of coils in the ceiling. These coils play a crucial role in regulating the temperature of the fresh air circulated by the ventilation system. The services room, strategically tucked away at the rear of the bathroom, remains hidden from sight. Concealed by a series of acoustic walnut timber panels, it blends seamlessly with the overall design while providing effective noise insulation.
Bathroom
Basement Plan
Ground Floor Plan
Section B-B
Section A-A
Smart Passive House
Construction
Sustainability was pivotal in constructing this exceptional passive house, aiming to minimize environmental impact and maximize energy efficiency. The eco-friendly choice of a timber frame as the structural backbone supports lightweight and space-saving posi-joists for the ground floor and roof. Glass wool insulation, made from 86% recycled glass, enhances energy efficiency within the carefully filled joists. Natural and recycled materials were prioritized, including disassembled bricks from the existing garage and reclaimed bricks from London's demolition sites. The exterior timber cladding achieves structural integrity without synthetic resins through high-temperature steaming and compression. Multiple layers of rigid insulation boards fill the timber frame, optimizing performance by reducing heat loss and maximizing thermal efficiency. The crowning element of the passive house is the roofing system. An EPDM membrane, renowned for its longevity and recyclability, was chosen as the optimal solution. This roofing material has a minimal environmental impact throughout its life cycle, ensuring durability, waterproofing capabilities, and reduced waste.
Smart Passive House
Efficiency
Passive house design embraces five key principles to maximize energy efficiency and create sustainable buildings. These principles include thermal bridge free design, superior windows, ventilation with heat recovery, quality insulation, and airtight construction. To eliminate thermal bridging in passive house design, careful planning and execution of edges, corners, and penetrations are crucial. A non-conductive timber frame is used to minimize heat transfers within the walls. Load-bearing rigid insulation between the frame and concrete also reduces thermal bridging in the structure. To ensure good indoor air quality while saving energy, the design employs efficient heat recovery by transferring at least 75% of the heat from stale indoor air to the fresh air coming from outside. The careful detailing and installation of the airtightness membrane are essential for the effectiveness of this ventilation system. Every plug, switch, fitting, and wire is meticulously taped and sealed to minimize air leakage in the building envelope. Implementing passive house design principles results in a substantial reduction in a building's energy demand. By adopting this energy-efficient approach, it becomes possible to use smaller central heating systems that effectively fulfil heating, cooling, and hot water requirements. Furthermore, incorporating solar arrays on the roof enhances the energy consumption of these systems. For instance, the inclusion of a four-unit solar array efficiently harnesses renewable solar power to meet the building's energy needs.
Massing diagram
Ventilation diagram
Circulation diagram
