Modern Masters: Jack Hosea from Threefold Architects

Modern Masters: Threefold
Modern Masters: Threefold
Roman Road Gallery House
Threefold Architects
Roman Road Gallery House
Modern Masters: Threefold
Garden House
Modern Masters: Threefold
Garden House
Modern Masters: Threefold
Threefold Architects

“Renee, Matt and I all met while we were studying at the Bartlett together. We all graduated and worked for various practices including Richard Rogers and Sarah Wigglesworth, and then we set up Threefold Architects in 2004.

“Essentially we set up together because we had a shared vision to develop an architecture which is a very specific response to the context of the site and the client’s needs.

“We started out working on residential projects which was an ideal opportunity to develop our ethos. As the practice has grown and the scale of the work has grown, we’ve tried to maintain that idea of specificity. At the heart of all of our projects is a strong central concept, derived from a unique response to the site that drives all aspects of the design.

“The very first project we worked on was an old dairy building in Peary Place that was subsequently sold by The Modern House. It was a quirky project where we reinvented the existing building to create a home with a dramatic double height space for a young couple.

“We subsequently revisited the street to design the Roman Road Gallery; a careful synergy between a gallery and a home for the curator who owns it.

“I think the way that we are living and working today is changing and it’s blurring the boundaries between those two aspects of our lives. We have noticed this particularly in the new and more agile workspaces that we have been designing, but I don’t think there’s anything that’s radically changed in what we want from our homes. The move away from cellularisation has been emerging for a long time.

“However, one thing we have noticed as a practice is a new emphasis on the demand for living spaces that are more integrated with the outdoors and Garden House is a good example. The couple who commissioned it were in the process of retiring and wanted something modern where they could optimise their contact and connection with their garden.

“What was interesting about that project was the client had previously lived in a very traditional home with a very conventional format. As a result, they wanted a house that veered towards open-plan living while retaining more traditional ideas about room configuration.

“We consequently developed a plan that divided the house into two volumes with a central atrium space. The atrium drew natural light into the centre of the plan and worked as an open circulation space that established a visual connection with the garden, but it also provided a space into which the individual rooms could expand into through sliding glass screens.

“It was really crucial to be involved in the landscaping of the site because of its topography. The precise position of the house and the design of the landscaping were all carefully considered to optimise both the flow of natural light into the house and the visual and physical connection of internal spaces to the garden.

“As a practice we make a point of being very site specific. We don’t approach any project with preconceived ideas and as a result we strive to produce buildings that are unique to their setting and improve the experience of the occupier. It’s about being thoughtful and creating an architecture which is very carefully crafted in terms of the arrangement of spaces as well as the construction and detailing.

“Good design is about the creation of an architecture that is valuable to the wider community as well as its occupants. It’s about making a building that might not be viewed as a traditional piece of architecture but that is born out of its context and designed to respond to it.”

Find out more about Threefold in our Directory of Architects and Designers.

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