Pitched Black

Rhys and Joanna's new family home perfectly showcases the potential of awkward brownfield sites and the creative solutions they can inspire

As director of architecture practice Gruff Architects, Rhys Cannon was better placed than most to see the potential of tricky urban sites. So when he found a tight, triangular brownfield plot in south London which overlooked a railway line, he was surprised that it won over the whole family.

"We were a family of four - we had a third child during the build and we lived in a basement flat in south-east London, so we loved the idea of a self-build," says Rhys. "Its main outlook is west-facing into trees for 40m along the railway line and beyond into back gardens. In the height of summer, it's incredibly private and very desirable."

The plot was accessed by a single, narrow track and in a conservation area, so Rhys knew these challenges would require creative solutions, not just in terms of design, but also when it came to the build process itself.

ACHIEVING PLANNING ON AN URBAN SITE

Rhys set to work with pre-planning applications and talking to the local conservation group, as well as Network Rail, before he agreed on a price with the vendor with a handshake reliant on planning approval. However, securing the plot was not smooth sailing. Another party started a bidding war, despite the site still being without any planning consent for residential use, and with an application for a traditional home by another architect already refused.

HOMEOWNERS Rhys Cannon and Joanna Brindle

LOCATION South London SIZE 152m²

BUILD ROUTE Main contractor

CONSTRUCTION Masonry ground floor with steel and timber frame first floor

BUILD TIME One year (2018-2019)

PLOT COST Undisclosed

BUILD COST £600,000

VALUE Undisclosed WORDS Alexandra Pratt