A London house has been named the House of the Year for 2023.
Named, the Green House, it's been hailed as a “true oasis” in London as judges described the home as a “domestic greenhouse” and an “extraordinary ordinary house".
The house is a revamped terraced home and won House of the Year by the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba).
The five-bedroom property, tucked away down an alleyway in Tottenham and delivered by Hayhurst & Co, features polycarbonate panels and is screened with dense planting.
London home awarded House of the Year
The home is located in the Clyde Circus Conservation Area, the house also has a roof terrace and surrounding greenery, as well as roof-lights in the atrium, and was “built on a very tight budget”.
The home is owned by photographer Tom van Schelven and Amandine Neyses.
The pair used the space and ceiling height for photo shoots and as a stage for children’s drama performances, according to Riba.
The materials used include cross-laminated timber walls, which Hayhurst and Co said holds 39 tonnes of sequestered carbon, reclaimed concrete blocks and recycled cork rubber flooring that Riba says is energy efficient.
Air-source heat pumps and solar panels are also used to boost the property’s green credentials.
The house was highly commended at the 2022 British Homes Awards and won a 2021 Haringey Design Award.
Chairwoman of the jury, Dido Milne, a director at CSK Architects, said: “Green House, affectionately known as the Tottenham Riad, is a true oasis within the city. It is both airy and cosy, bold yet respectful of its neighbours.
“Your eye is simultaneously drawn upwards to the open sky and down and out across the living room to verdant greenery.
“The close architect and client relationship, with a joint desire to deliver a truly sustainable home, is evident in all of the design decisions and details.
“On a confined urban site, the house was delivered to a tight budget with an economy of means – and it remains richer for it.
“Nowhere do you feel the site or budget was restricted. It feels both luxurious, homely, deeply private and relaxing. It’s an extraordinary ordinary house and a remarkable collaboration.”
The home beat a Riba shortlist which included a renovated Devonshire cow shed, from David Kohn Architects, which featured lights once used to warm calves, and a fortress-like home on the banks of Loch Awe in Scotland from architects Denizen Works.
Last year’s winner was the Red House in Dorset.
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