Londsdale Mews

Situated within the Barnsbury Conservation Area, this trio of mews houses forms part of a wider late-1990s development — a moment of architectural confidence that sought to reinterpret the familiar London mews for contemporary living. The project reimagines the typology not as nostalgic pastiche but as an exploration of form, light, and inhabitation. Each façade presents a striking composition of double-height glazing, a contemporary counterpoint to the more reticent brickwork of its surroundings.

The houses invert convention: sleeping and study spaces are placed below, cocooned within quieter lower levels, while generous living spaces unfold above, oriented toward long views across Islington’s rooftops. Within, each dwelling possesses its own internal rhythm, yet all share a set of architectural gestures — the suspended mezzanine overlooking the main living space, and the sweeping vaulted roofs that lend volume, light, and a sense of shared identity to the ensemble.

In 2001, House 3 was recognised with the Britannia Design Awards for both Best New House in England and Best New House of the Year — a testament to the project’s ability to balance innovation and context, and to reimagine domestic architecture within the historic grain of the city.

Location: Islington, London
Year: 2000
Area: 1175m²