The Art of Design Issue 44 2020 | Page 57

57 floor; a newly-excavated utility basement The clients loved the treatment, but their and an increased sunken outdoor area. growing family required more space and so, when the opportunity came up to purchase ‘Our clients are a London-based the neighbouring property and combine international family who purchased one the two, they seized it. That new vision original property in 2009’, Susan Knof, allowed for an expansive open interior, with Creative Director and Founder of KNOF a double-height grand entrance area and Design explained, ‘which I completely new skylights, plus a sunken rear garden, redesigned for them whilst based in creating and an abundance of natural light.’ London at that time. To future-proof the new scheme, the intricate interior has been designed and detailed to function either separately or as a whole, involving two separate M&E systems and structures, so that the home can be re-sold either as a single or as multiple properties, should that be required. The new interior therefore had to integrate two full-height vertical stairways, which created a natural division of space. From an interior architectural standpoint, the main challenge was the overall space- plan of the two buildings and especially how to connect each floor with a dividing corridor connecting the two stairwells, although this in fact encouraged the team’s creativity, especially on the top two floors.