Highgate Studios 53-79 Highgate Road London NW51TL
project image
Salt House
Essex, UK - first prize
This project is for a new-build 300sm sea-side house in St. Lawrence Bay, Essex. The building is a 3-dimensional transformation of the local oyster cottage vernacular into a crystalline form where the entire building form becomes a “bay window” with maximised sea views. The ground floor of the building is conceived as a continuous landscape of terraced decking that unites a south-facing entrance courtyard, a central atrium space, and sunken living room that finally extends outward into the north facing garden and beach. Window and balcony openings travel freely across the timber-clad facades expressing the movement of a building twisted and sculpted by North sea winds. Interior spaces are wrapped by faceted wall and ceiling planes - extensions of the exterior building geometry. A central double height atrium space is framed by a series of folded elements that form a staircase and balustrades.