Look Out, Bromley
At the quiet end of a suburban street in Bromley sits a plot with an unusually commanding presence – visible from a distance, open on all sides, and wrapped in gardens and green space. Our clients, a building contractor we have worked with for years and his wife, know the area well. When this property came up, they recognised its potential immediately: a generous garden, long-term possibilities, and the rare opportunity to shape a home that feels both calm and optimistic.
The existing late-1960s house shared the site with a later garage building – two structures with little relationship to one another. Our ambition was to bring them together, physically and visually, and in doing so create a coherent whole that responds to the plot’s prominent position at the end of the street.
The design has subtle echoes of the Californian Case Study Houses: long lines, generous glazing, and a sense of openness and clarity. We partially wrap the existing buildings to create additional space, new vistas, and carefully framed views both into and out of the site. Movement through the garden becomes part of the experience – a sequence of outlooks and glimpses, where the landscape leads and the architecture follows.
In keeping with our ethos, the building is secondary to the setting. The project champions the idea of 'a house in a garden' – a home shaped by greenery, light, and the pleasure of looking out.
- Architecture
- Matthew Giles Architects
- Interior Design
- Matthew Giles Architects
- Visuals
- Matthew Giles Architects