A giant Japanese Acer beautifully punctuates the front garden of this semi-detached Victorian villa in Primrose Hill, its elegant yet traditional façade belying the dramatic, contemporary brilliance that lies within. Arranged across four principal levels, with five bedrooms and three reception rooms, the house extends to almost 3,200 sq ft overall, with a large private garden at the rear. An exemplary marriage of material, scale and light, it was designed to critical acclaim by the architect Jamie Fobert and was shortlisted in 2007 for the Manser Medal, the RIBA London Award and for the Stephen Lawrence Prize.

Re-imagining the Victorian townhouse for contemporary family life, the ambition of King Henry’s Road was born of first principles. A series of interconnected volumes run from the front of the house to the rear, where a dramatic structure, described by the architect as a ‘concrete table’, supports the house above it.

Beneath, are a range of spatial scales that enable a break from the traditional period layout of front room, back room and extension. Instead, an expansive open-plan space serves as a centrepiece for family life where work and music practice can co-exist with cooking, entertaining and quiet meditation. Dining melts into living space and kitchen and, beyond a wide corridor with a concrete feature-wall lit by roof lights, is a peaceful garden room.

There are two entrances; one at raised-ground level, the other at lower ground. The latter provides practical, everyday access, where the formal option opens to a hallway with an axial view to the garden’s higher foliage through a living/tv room at the rear, and turns to offer a wonderful elevated survey of the principal living space.

Light floods the expanse through walls of sliding glazing at the south-facing rear which open to embrace a decked portion of garden, making it feel integral to the main living space. Here enormous tree ferns lean into view with a backdrop of sky and towering tree foliage framed within the double-height glazing. Behind a lovely oak sliding door at the rear is a quiet reception with a concrete window seat.

Floors and walls are concrete, and the kitchen is bespoke stainless steel by Tin Tab with custom engineered-oak joinery. Oak reappears in the front bay-window office and is used for bespoke joinery at various points throughout the house.

At the front, beneath the north-facing garden, is a large series of utility spaces and next to the office there is a guest WC.

More cellular rooms exist on the upper levels where five double bedrooms are spread over two floors, all arranged around an excellent winding staircase with cubist-inspired balustrades and a central void lit from above by a skylight.

The master bedroom is situated on the first floor, with views of gardens beyond a glass balustrade and an open walk-in shower and steam room with rough-stone floor and mosaic tiles. Wardrobe space is arranged in an L-shape behind the bed, which is positioned for external views, and is elegantly obscured with light, retractable drapes.

A further bedroom on this level has the use of a shower room, and the three bedrooms above share a family bathroom.

The house is situated in Primrose Hill Village on King Henry’s Road, seconds from the restaurants, boutiques, pubs and delis on Erskine Road and Regent’s Park Road. Chalk Farm underground station (Northern Line) is 0.2 miles and the house minutes’ walk from the green open spaces of Primrose Hill park. Many of London’s best schools are within close proximity.

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.