Converting Garages into Homes in London Design Idea & Example

Having thought through all the possibilities of the site and the conversion of the garages into homes, we decided on an approach that combined a three-storey building (parking on the ground floor, flats above) on the medical centre side of the plot with a one-storey structure on the gardens side. Seen from the street, the single storey could almost be mistaken for an elegant fence. If you look down from the houses across the street, you see an expanse of green roof. 

Productive pre-application discussions with the council helped focus our thinking about security and the mix of flat sizes. We decided to wrap the three-storey section in louvres that let light in while protecting the privacy of the residents. The result is a building that doesn’t feel bulky or heavy. Meanwhile, along with the green roof, there is plant life on the terraces and walls. 

If you approach architecture with a mindset defined by boxes, awkward sites will defeat you. But if you can mix imagination with a practical consideration about the need to create somewhere that’s enjoyable to live in, you end up with a development as satisfying as this one.