Church Road

AHMM with RUFFARCHITECTS

Haringey, 2022

Urban Oasis Prize

Shortlisted

A home in the Highgate conservation area set amongst the only remaining ancient oaks outside Highgate Wood. The house is nestled in a semi-sunken position in the back garden plot, a unique urban oasis. Touted as innovative timber framed in 2009 when built, Church Road is an example where the Don’t Move, Improve! mindset was fundamental.

Church Road is an example where the Don’t Move, Improve! mindset was fundamental in creating a beautiful and functional family home, capable of adapting to the needs and future demands. Demolition VAT savings outweighed the costs of fundamental repair and repurposing.

"Our project places the family’s interaction with nature at its heart. Each space has been carefully configured to reach out and engage with the existing mature landscape, the ancient oaks which provide a sense of timelessness, a sense of perspective and reflection. We had the opportunity to form an urban oasis and the client supported the reconfiguration to ensure that the external spaces were as much part of a sequence of experiences in the everyday as possible." - Paul Ruff, Director, RUFFARCHITECTS

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