DESIGN

Locatedonaneglected backland site inBounds
Green, north London, Domino is adevelopment
of eight houses planned around acentralareaof
woodland.The plotruns north to south along
the curve of the adjacent railway line, tucked
behind acouncilestate on Corbett Grove,and
accessed from Imperial Avenue to the south. The
house types areamix of linked,terraced and
standalone dwellings, all set within sensitively
landscaped surroundings.
On entryfromthe south, bright yellow gates
open onto aslopingcobbledroad whichis
marked by amature tree –successfully retained
throughout the construction process –and
providing an appropriate welcome. Carparking
and vehicular roads arefinished with the same
uneven stone, lending an informal character to
the development and encouraging communal
use of the spaces. The houses areconceivedas
monolithicblocksofblack brick with curved
green roofsand ‘domino’porthole windows
dotting the facades. The dominant black brick
andundulating facades lend asculptural quality
to the development, suggesting aNordic quality
to the loomingforms, says architect VerveStudio.
Left
Site plan; typical dwelling
plans (a third-levelattic
spaceextendsacross the
whole footprint).
Right
Staggeredterrace of three
houses.The dwellings were
builtusingacombination
of steel and timber frames
with traditionalcavity
brickand block wall
construction.The rapid
completion of the
structuralsteelframes on
site provided the backbone
on whichthe rest of the
envelope followedon.
20 •IBSTOCK DESIGN •AUTUMN 2016