Rowe Lane House, London -

Marcus Lee of Flacq Architects designed this house for himself and his young family.  As a prefabricated, modular, timber-frame kit, this house can be dismantled and rebuilt or recycled.

The main frame is made from Siberian larch laminated beams which are exposed on the inside and outside of the building.  The frame rests on a foundation of concrete strips set in 3 metre deep trenches providing the support for this lightweight house.

The walls and roof are lined with flax insulation, with Pavatherm  insulating fibreboards that are made with no glue or wood preservative.  The outer building is finished in cedar.  Inside the walls and ceiling are finished with lime plaster and porous paints.  These are non toxic materials which allow the timber to breathe and thereby prevent damp or rot.

The structure has no internal load bearing walls, with the internal space divided by partition walls that can be rearranged to provide the family with flexibility as requirements change.

 The ground floor is mostly open plan with large glazed areas providing a visual link with the front courtyard and back garden.  Cross ventilation through the space is provided by glass doors in the front and back of the house. Solar panels on the west facing roof are used to heat water. 

While timber buildings are unusual in this urban setting the cedar cladding blends well with its garden setting.