Bella Mews

: London

Bella Mews is a new-build housing scheme situated within a challenging conservation area location. The project has transformed a redundant brownfield garage site to provide two new, high quality dwellings, contributing much needed new housing to London.

The design had to overcome numerous site constraints including height restrictions, distancing requirements and surface water flood risk. The building is conceived as a solid pale red brick mass that has been carefully sculpted in response to the opportunities and constraints of the site, with deep setbacks, undercuts and window reveals providing a strong sense of relief. Thoughtfully composed high quality brick detailing is utilised throughout, varying in response to the different conditions of each respective side of the site. The resulting elevations are robust but highly characterful. The interiors are bright and spacious, with generous openings to the front and rear elevations offering long views without introducing issues of overlooking. The emphasis has been on intelligent planning with a simple but refined interior palette and robust detailing. The project has excellent sustainability credentials with a thermally high performing envelope, minimal use of steels, sustainable technologies as well as surface water management strategy including green roofs, small rain garden and attenuation flow control. The project seeks to champion an architectural approach that is contemporary and bold, but also appropriate to the character of its conservation area location. The scheme demonstrates the practice's ongoing commitment to providing high quality new build urban infill housing and this being an opportunity for creativity and design flair.