Between Hampstead Village and the green expanses of the Heath lies this exquisite and highly accomplished architectural home. Designed by the architects Guard Tillman Pollockfor an artist, the house was conceived as a contemporary reflection of and homage to the seminal modernist houses of Hampstead. Spatially and technologically innovative throughout, it was shortlisted for a RIBA Award in 2012. It provides around 2,800 sq ft of internal accommodation, with a current arrangement of five bedrooms, an artist’s studio and several living and garden spaces in adaptable, open layouts that mimic and enhance the arrangements of its Victorian forebears.

The Tour

From the street and among the terrace of its period neighbours, the striking white façade of the upper level appears to float above a front wall of London stock brick. A portion of clean white render interrupts the mass of glazing, which, in a defining feature, is shielded from passing gazes and solar gain by a screen of PVC mesh.

A steel gate opens to the beautifully planted front garden, where a pond forms a border between the house and a high wall to the street. Beyond a protruding wall, steel grates form a courtyard garden enjoyed from the living space within.

The house is set over four storeys and enters at a slightly raised ground level to a hallway with a study to its left. A series of pocket doors, controlled by recessed magnetic buttons, allow the plan to behave with complete openness in the absence of the desire for privacy and the spaces are united aesthetically by the deep hue of a polished concrete floor.

The living spaces are arranged to take advantage of long diagonal views. Each interlocking space generates its own natural light and relates to the private courtyard gardens in its own capacity. Ahead of the hallway lies the kitchen, and to the right is a sweeping reception with a front-facing living space containing a gas fire and a double-height dining area. The latter, lit by a towering mass of glazing, communicates visually with the kitchen and is overlooked by a first-floor gallery.

A roof-lit stairwell leads to the various levels from the north side of the plan. It rises to a landing with bedrooms on opposing sides and a bathroom at the eastern aspect. A gallery drawing room and library lie to the south, with glazing to the westerly streetscape and views across the void and below to the dining space.

The second floor houses the principal bedroom suite, which is formed of three components. The bedroom itself lies ahead of the landing and is flanked by a terrace to the east and a balcony to the west. Light pours gracefully into the space from both glazed aspects, varying with the time of day and seasons. A dressing room has its own easterly balcony overlooking the rear and neighbouring gardens, and a large shower room at the front commands ethereality through a section of glazing over the walk-in shower.

Hanging space for artwork was a key component of the brief, which has been achieved with an arrangement of walls and pocket doors that minimise the impact on the opening of each level. The studio, with a kitchenette, is set at lower ground level and eliminated from compromise by its opening to a lightwell patio, granted light from the grated floor of the front garden. Also on this level is the plant room that houses the workings of a ground source heat pump, a bathroom, and a fourth bedroom that looks out, through glazing, to the studio’s patio.

Outdoor Space

Incorporated into the plan are no fewer than six outside spaces. There are three terraces at the second-floor level and a patio on the lower ground. The front garden is a superb visual space that interacts beautifully with the open ground level. The walled rear garden houses a seating area, glimmering through the dappled light that filters through a mature silver birch tree and filled with the scent of evergreen clematis and jasmine.

The Area

Willoughby Road is brilliantly positioned for all the delights that make Hampstead one of the most sought-after locations in London. At the end of the road is Hampstead High Street, with its plethora of boutiques, cafes, and eateries, including Oddono’s Gelateria, Ginger & White, Gail’s, and the famous Hampstead Crêperie. There are several charming pubs nearby, including The Horseshoe, The Flask, The Old White Bear, and The Hollybush, and the open expanse of Hampstead Heath is on the doorstep. Some of London’s best independent schools can be reached on foot.

Hampstead station (Northern Line) is a few minutes’ walk from the house, while Hampstead Heath and Finchley Road & Frognal Overground stations are only slightly further afoot.

Council Tax Band: H

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.