Architect Ian McChesney faced many challenges to constructing a house in south London's Sydenham Park conservation district, including stringent zoning requirements and no fewer than 68 objections from other residents of a neighborhood predominated by Victorian stucco and brick.
In the end, the neighbors probably like what they see, as it's mainly a reflection of their own homes. McChesney's innovative "mirror house," completed earlier this year, has an opaque glass facade that projects images of the surrounding buildings and park.
Photographs via architect Ian McChesney.
Above: A gravel path bordered by a grass lawn leads to a front stoop of iroko wood steps. The house has a light environmental footprint and is certified as sustainable.
Above: The panels reflect the trees and bushes in an adjacent park in the protected greenspace.
Above: A black patio and stairs complement the dark facade. Floor to ceiling windows erase the line between outdoors and in.
Above: Triple-glazed windows framed in iroko wood look out onto the gardens.
Above: Rorschach test: where does the garden begin and the house end?
Above: A sustainable timber frame has a skin of polished black glass.
Above: You can see the neighbors' house—of a more traditional style—reflected in the facade.
For more of our favorite gardens and houses in London, see:
- At Home with Judy Green in London's Leafiest Suburb
- A Tiny Summerhouse in South London
- Landscape Architect Visit: A Living Wall in London
- The Power of Pastels: A London House Reimagined
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