Set in London, United Kingdom, Lode is a house designed by NIKJOO in 2023. Small-scale developer Flawk curated the interiors in-house, balancing function and form with pieces designed and fabricated by local businesses. NIKJOO’s architectural details complement the contemporary design approach, featuring deep red brick exteriors warmed by Douglas fir window reveals, while exposed concrete and blockwork enhance energy performance, supporting a friendly and sustainable living experience.
Originally the rear of a convenience store, the site was being used for deliveries and as a single parking space. Flawk purchased the plot and commissioned NIKJOO to lead on the architectural design, with building works starting in March 2023. Flawk took the lead on the interior design, collaborating closely with NIKJOO to ensure an integrated and cohesive approach across architectural and interior elements. This layered process meant that each design decision – from material choices to spatial arrangements, was made collectively – allowing for seamless alignment between structure and interior.
The brief was to create a spacious, light-filled family home on a tight, back-land site, using sustainable building practices. This has been achieved by working closely with the structural engineer to create a very shallow floor plate, allowing for generous ceiling heights of up to 2.8m. The internal layout is organised around the principle of each space having a visual connection to the outdoors, while two garden spaces have been created to enhance the experience of light and flow to the outside.
Surrounded by diverse building typologies, the house’s monolithic structure aims to be a distinctive addition to the street. The materials and detailing of the building reference the historic buildings and Victorian terraces found in the local area, with a deep red brick used for the external facades. Pale pink mortar – mixed and tested on-site – runs between the brickwork to mirror the hues of the post-war buildings opposite.
Internally, Douglas fir window reveals softly mirror the exterior and create a sense of warmth, while outside steel roof detailing and exposed concrete create a dialogue between the building and the varied streetscape. Daylight has been brought deep into the plan through unusually tall windows that punctuate the east facade, large skylights in bedrooms and circulation spaces, as well as the playful portholes in the west facade, piercing the mass of the building.
Segments of the building’s finishes are peeled back to reveal the underlying construction, including the exposed blockwork in the living room and bedrooms and timber floor joists at the entrance passage. This peeling back lends visual interest and improves energy-performance: the exposed blockwork generates sizeable thermal mass alongside excellent insulation. Together with a green roof, these sustainable building methods deliver low-energy solutions in a repurposed, constrained site.
Internally, a generous open-plan kitchen, dining and living space on the ground floor is flooded with natural light through floor-to-ceiling glazing. The modular kitchen is positioned to one side of the room against a wall of exposed concrete blockwork where a marble worktop sits between disc-brushed stainless-steel cabinetry with oak handles. A bespoke, oversized pocket door allows the room to be separated from the entrance hall, where there is a WC with a porthole window.
A staircase leads upwards with a custom handrail designed by Flawk and fabricated by Atelier WAMA. The steps echo the material language of the home as a whole; transitioning from concrete and stainless steel to oak as one ascends. The balustrade features steel cables with suspended beads reminiscent of childhood toys, interpreted in a refined way to add playful sophistication and further echoed in the hinges of the bespoke shelving systems found in the bedrooms. Adding to this sense of discovery is a candle holder on the landing, intended to be a more soulful interaction than conventional lighting.
The first floor comprises two double bedrooms with built-in storage cupboards and ensuite bathrooms, as well as a utility and storage cupboard that is positioned off the stairwell. Creating a sense of visual continuity, exposed concrete blockwork and oak flooring continue in the bedrooms. Crowning the home is a third-floor master bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe, ensuite bathroom and access to a secluded roof terrace offering respite from the city below.
Flawk’s carefully curated collection of objects, fixtures, and fittings reflects its mission to champion local and emerging design, nearby businesses and the immediate community. Hand-cast curtain rings designed by Flawk and fabricated by Jamps are paired with locally sourced fabric from Hackney Draper, sewn into curtains by nearby Princess Curtains. These soft furnishings soften the concrete blockwork –a signature of Flawk’s playful refinement.
These exclusive, commissioned pieces serve as joyful, sensory treats throughout the home, including a wall sconce by Josh Page and a hand-carved mirror by Lewis Kemmenoe, and will be available to commission via Flawk’s online shop. Flawk designed bespoke pieces in-house, including the disc-brushed stainless-steel kitchen and shelving unit, custom ventilation grills, house numbers and a large dining table. Function and form have been carefully balanced, like how the beautifully sinuous shower screens are made from frosted acrylic so limescale buildup is not visible.
Unique Living Experiences Through Local And Emerging Design
Through a resourceful and creative approach to materials, this project upholds Flawk’s fresh take on development, which focuses on creating unique living experiences through local and emerging design. Lode sets an example of how overlooked plots can be revitalised into high-quality homes with ample space, light and design integrity.
Photography by NIKJOO Flawk LB by Lorenzo Zandri and Jasper Fry
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