Horizontal house

This apartment in London was designed by architect William Tozer. Rectilinear planes and volumes of dark timber divide a large horizontal space, loosely defining a number of open-plan areas, and enclosing and concealing others. The dwelling is located within an old industrial building, the concrete ceiling of which is treated as a found object that appears to extend continuously above the new inserted timber elements.

While also perceived as an uninterupted surface, the floor is articulated as part of the new architectural insertion. However, the floor also appears to slip past the new vertical elements—due to the shadow gaps at these junctions, and the contrasting timber selection and setting out.

The walls that define the perimeter of the apartment are finished as smooth white-painted surfaces, but the structure and junctions are expressed so that these walls appear as curated, existing components.

The kitchen and bathroom fittings are treated as functional elements—akin to unfixed furnishings—placed within the overall sculptural composition.