Spencer Courtyard is a minimalist residence located in London, United Kingdom, designed by Kennedy Twaddle. Five new courtyard style houses have been constructed in a former timber yard tucked behind terraces fronting Regents park Road. The scheme consists of three new build single story dwellings each house having two private courtyards. A partial rebuild of an existing two story block allowed for another two apartments.

Pitched green roofs are the dominant form of the project, inspired by the traditional London, or butterfly, roofs overlooking the site. The neighbors view of the site now have a look onto living roofs as opposed to the previous industrial landscape. Projecting decorative brickwork adds texture to the facades and the walls between the houses are perforated offering privacy and interest. As the sun tracks around the site the courtyards allow the path of the sun to penetrate deep in to the houses and the views of the perforated brickwork constantly change.

Internally the pitched form is expressed and accentuated by the exposed roof structure giving the spaces an airy feel. Expansive glazing wrapping around the courtyards create a free-flowing plan complimented by a simple palette of materials. Spencer Courtyard manages to make good use of a tight site with a fine tuned plan and a successful combination of form, light and materials.

Photography by Henry Woide