A "rich and interesting" refurbishment of a Victorian house by Studio Ben Allen has been named London's best new home improvement project in the Don't Move, Improve! awards.
The House Recast is the overall winner of this year's contest, which is organised annually by New London Architecture (NLA) to showcase the diversity of homes in the UK capital.
Above: The House Recast has won Don't Move, Improve! 2021. Top image: the project was an experimental overhaul of a Victorian dwelling
Studio Ben Allen was invited to overhaul the dwelling by a retired couple who wanted to reorganise its layout while introducing a new kitchen and two bathrooms.
With an otherwise open brief, project architects Omar Ghazal and Ben Allen decided to use the project as an opportunity to experiment with off-site fabrication techniques and pigmented concrete for the home's structure and finishes. Studio Ben Allen introduced two new bathrooms
The architects said this was inspired by the house's original Victorian design, "where the brickwork is patterned and decorated, while also being a load-bearing material and having the speed and quality by being fabricated offsite."
It was this unconventional approach and the way it complements the house's original features that led the project to be crowned the overall winner by the jury.
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