Redesigned by architects Unknown Works, this light-filled garden apartment in Kentish Town demonstrates a masterful use of materials and form. Bright sightlines guide the eye through the sociably conceived plan, with its flexible layout, beautiful detailing and intricately planted garden. Kentish Town’s high street and Camden are a short walk away.

We’ve written about life here in more detail.

The Architect

The apartment was designed by Unknown Works, for director, Theo Games Petrohilos. The practice is fast building an international reputation for its innovative projects that place emphasis on “making” and materiality. Their works include delightful domestic projects, such as Pigment House, CLT House, and large public spaces and museums, including the new Energy Revolution Gallery at the Science Museum and the McAulay Gallery at the Royal Academy.

The Tour

The building is one of a terrace of white-rendered houses on Torriano Avenue with former shop fronts on street level. The apartment is on the lower ground floor and is approached through a communal hallway.

Arriving in the main living space at the foot of the stairs, the bright white walls are alive with shards of light and shadows cast by the cleverly placed internal courtyard. The kitchen beckons through a glass-paned door. This voluminous extension has been designed with entertaining at its core: a large dining space has been carved out beneath generous full-width skylights, and wide sliding doors open the room to the courtyard garden beyond. Ply cabinetry is topped with stainless steel, allowing the kitchen workspaces to discretely recede against the textured backdrop of exposed fair-faced blockwork and poured concrete floors. The worktop drops beside the doors to form a bench. There is a five-ring range cooker and integrated appliances.

A separate sitting room sits at the centre of the plan bound by beautiful shelves and the internal courtyard. Storage has been thoughtfully incorporated at every opportunity: beneath the stairs, along the walls and in moveable ply wardrobes surrounding the sleeping area at the back of the room. These wardrobes also form a corridor that leads to the bathroom, where square tiling pairs with a dramatic cast concrete sink and terrazzo to create a polished yet industrial finish.

Outdoor Space

The apartment has a beautifully planted private garden at the rear, extending the flush concrete floor it is designed as an extension of the generous kitchen and dining space Planted with ferns, grasses and herbs, the raised beds provide year-round greenery in this secluded spot. Two mature bay trees, two magnificent fig trees and a tree fern add volume and height. This is a beautifully sociable space brimming with plants.

The Area

Kentish Town is a wonderfully popular part of North London. Just around the corner is The Rose and Crown, with other local favourites including Salvino, Bread by Bike, and Half Cut. The high street and surrounding area have a fantastic selection of independent shops, cafés, and restaurants, notably Anima e Cuore, Panadera, Kentish Town Stores, Saint Espresso and Kossoffs. There are also excellent pubs nearby, including The Parakeet, Southampton Arms and The Pineapple. The famous nightlife of Chalk Farm and Camden Town are within easy walking reach, as is Tufnell Park’s bustling high street. For more of our recommendations in the area, see our Kentish Town area guide.

Hampstead Heath and Parliament Hill are also within walking distance. The latter has tennis courts, a lido, a boules court and a weekly farmers market. The Heath is one of London’s most popular public parks, with the men’s and women’s swimming ponds offering perennial freshwater swimming.

Kentish Town Underground Station is a short walk away and runs Northern Line and Thameslink services for quick access to the city. Kentish Town West Station (London Overground) is only 10 minutes away on foot.

Tenure: Share of Freehold
Lease length: Approx. 985 years remaining
Service Charge: Approx. £1,300 per annum
Council Tax Band: D

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.