The Hut at Spafields, EC1
And they say the Glass Ceiling no longer exists. Here glass and wood are twisted together to form a patchwork apex, contorting like a gymnast, drawing the eye upward to the illuminating skylight and British 'summer' beyond.
Barriers to Entry /
Zealand Road, E3.
This natural wood finished hallway successfully communicates with the stark crispness of the quartz slab floor in the living room. The contrasting materials guide the occupant across the threshold to the space beyond.
Time Team /
London can often seem more like an archaeological dig than a construction site. Layers of Shoreditch revealed like sedimentary rock formations telling and retelling the story of people who existed before. The history of London can be abstract, however digging it up connects the future to the past in a startling and sometimes obtrusive way.
The Grim House /
Noticed for the Right Reasons /
Brockley, SW4.
This frameless window sits flush with the new masonry which itself knits into the extension of the original structure. Weathering over time, this single storey extension should slot seamlessly and unobtrusively into its surroundings.
Grinder Profile /
Out of the construction flux, landscaping begins to emerge. To the untrained eye these steps might be a geological find, cut and shaped to take future footfall. Instead white concrete cast, cut and polished onsite allows for bespoke features to be fitted to exact specifications.
Reclaim the Light /
Vivian Road, E3
This bathroom uses reflective surfaces to create depth and perspective in a small space. The reclaimed French light fixture is featured four times in a palindromic illusion like a hall of mirrors. Bright clean surfaces allow for more light to be reflected giving depth in compact spaces and defused lighting adds that air of 'Je ne sais quoi'.
Keeping it up /
The reinforcements arrive in the shape of aerated blocks to support the lower walls and upper floors and stabilise the existing red brick infrastructure. Modern day foundations have thankfully also come a long way from our Victorian alumni where bricks placed directly onto earth was not unusual.
Vitals /
Originally from the South of Spain, Francisco 'Curro' Checa Romero moved to London in 1999 to study Architecture where, following his studies at the University of Greenwich, the Royal College of Art and the Architectural Association he qualified as an Architect. He formed Studio Idealyc during his training and developed this company to now provide architecturally driven construction services. More recently, he established Checa Romero Architects.
Developing an imaginative and inventive style, his projects range from the practical to the poetic, a dichotomy developed during his studies, during travel and throughout professional practice.
Now the father of three young girls, Curro understands the pressure London families face when their brood starts to expand and has designed and built his own home in East London.
Peeling back the layers /
Whitby Street, Shoreditch E2.
The journey to the sleek finish as the reimagined space is born from the rubble of the old is often a long one. Until the excavation begins it's hard to know what surprises a building will disclose to its history and the impact this may have on future plans. Skeletal beams, meter thick concrete, Renault Twizy.