SOPHIE HICKS ARCHITECTS

«I’m interested in buildings as a whole, their relationship with the landscape and with people. And I want to be taken seriously as an architect. Very little is built in London, and when we build something new we have a habit of making it seem old. I think that’s the wrong attitude to take». So, she set about buying a few small plots of land, so she could build things her own way and then sell them. Her building in Earl’s Court was one of these projects. «While the house was under construction, I began to grow attached to the way it was taking shape, so I decided to keep it for myself». She left her large home in Notting Hill, and moved here, with her partner and daughter Olympia. There are few furnishings, and no concessions to decoration. The new house is located in what was a private garden. «I wanted it to recall a greenhouse, so I decided to surround the structure with glass». Using a 3D model, she studied the movement of the sun to ensure the light also reached the basement, while the structure was designed to use as little energy as possible.
«It’s all thanks to concrete, a material I love.
I use it often, but here I wanted to make it look more beautiful, giving it the appearance of wood, and making the most of its thermal mass to maintain a constant temperature». The optical white of the facade is a sign of respect for the neighbouring Victorian buildings it sits sensitively in between, despite being completely different from a formal viewpoint. «I like the fact that it is slightly hidden from the street. The interesting thing is that it doesn’t feel like it’s in the centre, despite being in such a busy neighbourhood. The windows are very tall, and from the inside you can see the trees, the birds on the branches and the aeroplanes passing over. I also really like it when it rains hard: the rain hits the glass, but you feel safe inside. It might look cold to look at, but it is actually extremely welcoming».