MEMORY + FACADE

Basement Plan | 1:200

Front Elevation | 1:200 Rear Elevation Through Gardens | 1:200

Ground Plan | 1:200 First Plan | 1:200

A M I N T A H A A R C H I T E C T S

Rachel Whiteread House

The terrace of buildings between Waterloo

Terrace and Barnsbury Street, of which

the proposed site forms the North corner,

act as a prominent and all but intact late

19th Century block fronting Upper Street.

Though conceived as a symmetrical

Palladian palazzo with a defi ned centre,

extended ‘wings’ and end ‘pavilions’the

overall uniformity of height, party-wall sub-

division, Victorian detailing, scale and form

add a townhouse rythmic character to the

urban form of the block. And generally

continuing a conscious mix of architectural

styles along the street from Islington Town

Hall to St Mary’s Church.

168 Upper Street accommodated the

symmetrical end ‘pavilion’ to that standing

at Waterloo Terrace. Given the otherwise

wholly intact nature of the block and

preservation of its detailing our approach

has been to rebuild and replace the missing

piece. However, to erect only its ghost

facade in the form of 3mm bronze gauze or

perforated sheet behind which the Victorian

use of tall ceilings for ventilating fi re warmed

smoky rooms is ‘scratched away to leave

the palimpsest’ of the old facade. Instead

we form fl oor plates and spaces fl exible

enough to be suited to contemporary and

future ideas. These are to be built as simply

as possible with exposed concrete slabs

the minimal level of supporting structure in

the form of only 6 solid 40mm x 80mm plate

columns, full height fl oor to ceiling triple

glazing. This would leave a thermal envelope

and interiors built economically but pure in

their open Spartan appearance and ready

for inhabitation through the introduction of

furniture.

With the facade replicating the details and levels of the adjacent structure

the proposed fl oor plates will sit behind and detached from it at levels not

aligned with the Victorian window position. As with a net curtain the bronze

gauze acts as sun shade and privacy screen, when opened for clear views

the ‘shutters’ are positioned in line with the real fl oor plates and therefore

cut across the cornice lines, pilaster details and windows of the Victorian

facade. In this way heightening the diff erence and activating an overall

building form that otherwise sits as a monolithic monument to the past.

Philosophy

Facade

Exterior View From Street| Closed Facade Exterior View From Street| Open Facade

Memory is the overall binding concept, in that by

retaining the existing neoclassical street facade

as architectural archeology we extrapolate its

origins into a fictional historic narrative. This leads

us to imagine and rebuild the missing pieces

of a Belle Epoque coastal mansion house. Its

forgotten rooms leave an internal palimpsest

reflected externally as a ghost façade.

The scale, quality of detail and form of the retained

building are used as a 1:1 imprint. New floor

plates sit behind and detached from it at levels

not aligned with the ‘original’ window positions,

Grand private retreats reached their height

at Hadrian’s Tibur villa where naturalistic

landscapes were seamlessly brought together

with spaces for bathing, dining and habitation.

Continuing this theme our design places open

pools at ground and first floor level as if rising with

the topography and cascading into one another

amongst landscaped gardens, with connections

and leisure spaces as if cut into grottos. The

spa’s steam and massage rooms, sauna, gym

and yoga rooms are placed behind the waterfall

to offer further themed separation and visual

privacy from the rear residential windows.

GARDENS, POOLS + GROTTOS | Rear Private Gardens, Waterfalls, Sauna, Pool

with wide and light weight balcony structures

spanning from floor structure to façade. As with

mashrabiya the bronze perforated skin acts as a

sun shade and privacy screen. When opened for

clear views the ‘façade shutters’ are positioned in

line with new floor plates and therefore cut across

the cornice lines, pilaster and window details of

the extended facade. In this way expressing the

separation and activating an overall building form

into open-able sun shades during the height of

summer from a monolithic monument to the past

during the low season.

Perforated To Existing FacadeMEMORY + FACADE |

LUXURY HOUSING IN COSTA BRAVA 0113.SP