Updating a home by architect Walter Segal meant adopting his ethos
Originally built between 1962-65 by architect Walter Segal for his family, this home in leafy Highgate has been given a sensitive but bold update by architect Johanna Molineus. She was commissioned by its new owners, Annalex and Ralph, to add a two-storey timber-clad extension to the original house.
After two previous major conversion projects in Highgate, and with both working in design and the creative industries, the couple knew this was the opportunity to pursue their ‘forever’ home in the village they love and create something truly extraordinary.
Homeowner Annalex knew Johanna from their time working together at Pentagram and admired and followed her work, so when the opportunity arose she was an obvious first choice to explore opportunities at North Hill. The brief was to create a secluded, iconic, forever family home that made the most of the unique opportunity presented by the site, its aspect and heritage.
When Segal was building the house, he needed a home for his family to live in, so he designed a wooden cabin at the end of the garden. Quick, easy and cheap to construct, the ‘Little House’ was the prototype for what came to be known as the ‘Segal Method’ – a way of building that eliminated the need for bricklaying and plastering in favour of a modular timber-frame system that requires little maintenance.
As a subtle tribute to Segal’s influential self-build ethos, Johanna’s design utilises a prefabricated CLT structural system. ‘The main challenge was limited site access with effectively everything having to be designed to come through the front entrance with no rear, side or overhead access’ she explains. ‘The extensive use of CLT on a domestic project of this nature is still relatively rare and presented a challenge and opportunity for the team to embrace this new approach and explore its full potential.’
The front elevation is deliberately unassuming, almost a shadow between the 19th-century townhouses on the street. On entering through a mysterious black ‘portal’ entrance – one of Annalex’s favourite design details – visitors emerge into a white, bright and airy space looking out onto the stepped landscaping and generous garden.
Inside, the original house and its extensions blend seamlessly into a coherent living space with just a ‘hint’ of the connection between old and new visible through a small skylight where the new entrance hallway meets the existing building.
From the rear the new two-floor extension is clearly differentiated from the rebuilt facade of the existing house through the larch cladding - chosen because it will fade over time to a soft silver tone, complementing the concrete tiles and façade.
The interiors stick to a minimalist material palette with simple and discreet detailing – think shadow gap skirting, linear drains and concealed fixings. Large format concrete-style tiles are used for the flooring which runs seamlessly inside and outside throughout the ground floor. Pure white walls provide a blank canvas to display the family’s art collection.
The owners could not be more thrilled with the result. It is the home they always wanted, never expected, will never take for granted and which never loses its ‘first visit’ feeling of surprise, sensation and seclusion every time they walk through the door. johannamolineus.com
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