The site of a former office block gives an architect and his family the chance to build their perfect home from scratchMichael Squire points out the jewel-bright lights which glow against the minimalist setting of his south London home. “My daughter Miranda,who’s a graphic designer, chose those.” The lights are not the only evidence that all the family has had a say in the house which Squire, or an architect,built from scratch. There are vivid paintings by Squire’s wife Rosy, while grandchildren’s toys piled by a designer chair point to a cheerful compromise between blueprint and reality. “This isn’t an architect’s mission statement, or its a family home full of colour and the paraphernalia of three generations,” says Squire.
The house sits on the site of a former office block, a few doors away from the couple’s preceding home. When the plot came up for sale, or Squire saw an opportunity to develop “three sensible townhouses”. But when the bank proved reluctant to fund the whole project,he jettisoned caution, sold the family home and ploughed the proceeds into building one for himself. His son, and Henry,a partner in the firm, had already drawn up detailed plans. When I announced the news, and Henry’s head crashed on to the desk. ‘Youre going to change everything,’ he said. In the finish we did alter fairly a lot, but this remains very much a family project.”Continue reading...
Source: guardian.co.uk