Carmody Groarke adds an aluminum pavilion to a historic structure

Built in the 19th century, a merchant’s home in London’s Covent Garden is listed as Grade II for its historic properties. Now the old residence boasts a new upgrade. A roof of lean metal adds a modern sculpture to the heritage structure. Carmody Groarke, a London-based practice by Kevin Carmody and Andy Groarke, updated the new duplex penthouse to sculpt a light-filled adaptable home for a client while working with its historic designation.

rooftop pavilion by carmody groarke — With the help of fabricators, Littlehampton Welding, the new metal structure was craned into position over the building (Johan Dehlin)

The architects remodeled the top two floors of the building, concentrating the bedrooms and entrance on the lower level and a new kitchen, dining, and living room on the top-most floor. To do so, the design team inserted a new rooftop pavilion that extends the loft space that now houses the kitchen and sheltered rooftop terrace. The new aluminum pavilion takes the form of the pitched roof interspersed with generous openings, abstracting the familiar form with monolithic metal sheets. The material was chosen for its lightness and visual levity. It balances atop the brick building just as the design balances the old with new, the material lightness with sculptural presence, and the thinness of the sheet with its structural support.

metal sheets on roof — Aluminum was chosen for its lightness and visual levity (Johan Dehli)

stainless steel kitchen on top floor by carmody — A new kitchen continues the material language of the roof terrace (Johan Dehlin)

The new kitchen continues this material language as its made of sanded stainless steel. Glazing extends the outdoors to the indoors, while sliding doors conceal shelving and appliances. A large wooden communal table and fluted walls warm up the otherwise cool materiality. Skylights were added to the loft space’s ceilings to continue the natural light found on the terrace side.

kitchen and dining room in covent garden — Wooden furnishings add warmth to the metal material language (Johan Dehlin)

skylight over living room — Skylights were added to the loft space (Johan Dehlin)

Wood is applied again on the lower level. Carmody Groarke worked with makers and craftspeople for the interiors and furnishings, making bespoke wallcoverings, headboards, cabinets, and vanities. American walnut, heartwood ash, and silver travertine make up the material composition here, with stone cladding the majority of the bathroom.

duplex penthouse in london with wood bedroom — Sliding partitions on the lower level allow the space to adapt over time (Johan Dehlin)

bathroom with wood and travertine — In the bathroom, silver travertine was handpicked for the surfaces (James Retief)

The architects worked with Littlehampton Welding for the fabrication of the metal and Young & Norgate for the joinery. The latter dedicated themselves fully to the project for over a year. The result is rich in material precision and restrained in its expression.

Carmody Groarke sculpts an aluminum pavilion on top of a 19th-century London penthouse

Raise the Roof

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