An Eye-Catching Aluminum Pavilion Tops This Renovated London Penthouse

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Project Details:

Location: London, United Kingdom

Architect: Carmody Groarke / @carmodygroarke

Footprint: 3,767 square feet

Builder: London Projects

Structural Engineer: Price & Myers

Civil Engineer: P3R

Lighting Design: Antumbra

Sound Engineer: Sandy Brown

Cabinetry Design: Young & Norgate

Pavilion Fabrication / Engineer: Littlehampton Welding Ltd

Planning Consultant: Gerald Eve

Photographer: Johan Dehlin / @johan_dehlin

From the Architect: "A new duplex penthouse apartment in a 19-century Grade II listed merchant’s house has been given a unique identity with the addition of a new rooftop aluminum pavilion. The top two floors of the existing building have been extensively renovated and remodeled to accommodate bespoke patterns of family life. On the lower level, the entrance lobby and bedrooms are lined throughout with walnut-paneled joinery to give a warm and welcoming atmosphere. In contrast, the upper floor’s generous open-plan living takes full advantage of the loft space’s high ceilings and panoramic views over Covent Garden Market. Large new skylights have been introduced in between the original roof trusses, bringing daylight and fresh air deep into the plan.

"To the rear of the landlocked site, the new rooftop pavilion extends the loft space, housing a new kitchen inside and a sheltered roof terrace outside. It takes the familiar form of a pitched roof extension with generous openings and is designed to balance lightly on top of the existing London stock-brick annex. However, the use of solid-plate sanded aluminum for walls and roof abstracts the pavilion’s form from the weighty appearance of traditional construction. Instead, its monolithic sheet metal plates appear to lean against one another in a state of structural equilibrium where solid metal plates achieve perfect balance. This gives the pavilion a distinctive, elemental presence—a bold new silhouette on the city skyline that contrasts with the surrounding roof extensions. The pavilion extends 46 feet across the rear of the building, with the proportions of its plates subtly referencing the window patterns below.

"Inside the new kitchen, crafted from sanded stainless steel, a material dialogue is established with the aluminum exterior. This continuity in materiality links the interior and exterior elements of the project. The interiors, including the furniture, were crafted in collaboration with a team of makers and craftspeople, ensuring that every detail is tailored to the apartment.

"The materials include black American walnut, heartwood ash, and silver travertine. Handpicked from quarried Italian silver travertine blocks, each stone slab was dry-laid and selected to define key areas such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and terraces. The travertine creates a striking contrast with the seamless aluminum while harmonizing with the rich tones of the walnut."