From the Archive: Fog House

Fog House, The Modern House
Fog House, The Modern House
Fog House, The Modern House
Fog House, The Modern House

The Fog House is the transformation of a former factory in Clerkenwell into a contemporary dwelling, overlooking St James’ Church. It originally consisted of a long, narrow three-storey brick structure adjoining the churchyard, and was the studio of the artist Marc Quinn. David Adjaye added a new rooftop pavilion to extend the living accommodation upwards, as well as a glazed cantilever. He called it the ‘Fog House’ on account of the sandblasted glass wall on the upper floor that creates a diffuse light.

The project was commissioned by the television presenter and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter. It was designed to provide total privacy, with a discreet entrance revealing a double-height space above a basement reception room. The three upper storeys are all open-plan and include a generously sized study, bedroom and living room respectively. Adjaye’s characteristic use of bold colour and large sheets of glazing have resulted in a strong and prominent local landmark. The rooms provide a perfect frame for the eighteenth century church, with the qualities of the treated glass providing different effects depending on the height of the viewpoint.

Photography: Tim Crocker

 

Our From the Archive series takes excerpts and images from ‘The Modern House‘ by Jonathan Bell, Matt Gibberd and Albert Hill – a publication written and produced to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Produced in 2015, this book offers our own distinctive snapshot of what it means to live in a modern way in Britain.

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