Frame House, Rushworth Street, London SE1

This exceptional contemporary townhouse was designed by the architect Carl Turner and was short-listed for RIBA London Regional Award in 2012. Its concrete frame rises over four storeys with an integral garage at its base and a roof terrace that spans the entire plan. Internal space currently extends to approximately 1,750 sq ft. Planning permission is in place to add a further two storeys, amounting to almost 600 sq ft in the form of a gallery space, mezzanine home office and winter garden.

The Tour

The house is a brilliant response to a demanding site with a tall frame constructed mainly from in-situ poured concrete. Its presence on the street is boldly announced in contrast to its brick surroundings, with the simple use of steel, render and sky-reflecting glass.

Entry is through either the garage or the formal entranceway and dramatic corridor to which it is linked. It is here that we first glimpse the building’s primary material. Polished concrete with underfloor heating is used for the floors throughout, and the concrete frame is left exposed for the soffits overhead. Between these are textured walls of shuttered concrete opposite painted plaster with recessed lighting.

At the far end of the corridor, a concrete staircase ascends alongside a lightwell (a future-proofing for use as a lift shaft). It adds a third treatment to the palette, ground to the marine aggregate, creating a wonderful terrazzo effect.

The first floor is arranged as the principal bedroom suite, with its own dressing room and bathroom. Bespoke deep framed sliding windows in American Black Walnut link the interior and exterior, maximising light from the front facade and opening to the front-facing balconies. These were handmade by furniture maker Simon Kidd in a small yard opposite the house and offer a warming touch to the bright living spaces. The attention to detail is evident at every turn, from the full-height frameless pivot doors to the walnut joinery which is used throughout for custom-made furniture. The second floor is given to a living room, a second smaller bedroom currently used as an office, and a shower room.

The kitchen level is a masterful use of space, comprising a dining area at the front, an island at the centre and a courtyard at the rear. Light comes from both aspects and rooflights above. Stone worktops adhere beautifully to the calm, limited palette and are employed alongside dark wood cabinets, a stainless steel splashback and an in-line hob by Scholtes. Appliances are by Fisher and Paykel and Miele.

Outside Space

From the courtyard, a steel staircase links to the concrete roof terrace above with views across the surrounding rooftops and an intimate framing of Renzo Piano’s horizon-splitting Shard.

Planning Permission

Planning permission has been granted and is in place for an additional two storeys. The designs, also by Turner.Works, propose a voluminous gallery space on the fourth floor, with a mezzanine office. Above this glazed expanse would rest a winter garden with access to a roof terrace. In all, the increased space would amount to approximately 570 sq ft, taking the overall internal area to around 2,300 sq ft, including the garage. Plans for the proposed extension can be supplied upon request or can be viewed here.

The Area

Rushworth Street is situated within the King’s Bench Conservation Area in the heart of Borough. The area has become synonymous with an ever-growing international food culture and an array of excellent restaurants and pubs. The brilliant food and drink markets of Mercato Metropolitano and Flat Iron Square are both within a minutes’ walk. Borough Market is a short walk to the north, and the bars, pubs and restaurants of Bermondsey Street are also nearby to the east. National Theatre, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, White Cube gallery, and all that South Bank has to offer are all within easy reach.

The house is located just minutes from both Borough station (Northern Line) and Southwark (Jubilee Line) stations, as well as being a short walk to London Bridge (Northern, Jubilee and National Rail) and Waterloo station (Northern, Jubilee, Bakerloo and National Rail). The City can be reached by foot in under 20 minutes.