Highgate House feels calm, generous and filled with light. Spaces unfold around a sculptural helical staircase, which rises through a four-storey void and draws daylight deep into the plan. Living areas open to the garden, swimming pool and long views across the golf course beyond, while quieter rooms sit more privately. Materials are refined and understated, supporting a sense of ease rather than display. Altogether, the house is tailored to how the family lives, moves and gathers.
- Location
- Highgate , London
- Size
- 10,000 sqft
- Client
- Private Client
We were appointed to replace a modest two-storey 1950s house with a new family home that could meet contemporary expectations while remaining appropriate to its context. The site sits within the Highgate Conservation Area, surrounded by mature landscape and long, open views, so the design needed to feel confident but respectful.
The brief focused on flexible family living. The house had to accommodate everyday life, entertaining and quieter retreat, with rooms arranged according to how they would genuinely be used. Outlook, light and connections to the garden all shaped the plan, creating spaces that prioritise comfort and generosity over show.
The architectural strategy centred on clarity, proportion and light. A helical staircase was introduced as the organising element, cutting through a four-storey void to create a dramatic double-height entrance hall and pulling daylight into the lower-ground entertainment spaces and gym. The external form is contemporary but composed, responding to the surrounding conservation area with measured massing and a restrained material palette.
Inside, layouts were developed closely with the client, aligning rooms with daily routines and the best views across the garden, pool and landscape beyond. Throughout, the emphasis was on a house that feels made to live in – adaptable, comfortable and quietly elegant.
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