Tucked within a modest flat in Forest Hill, this project is a careful act of adaptation, self-built over time with help from friends and family. Nominated for an AJ Small Projects Award in 2021, and designed to serve a young couple, the home centres on compact spaces and hard-working furniture, unfolding into two generous living and sleeping areas. A dark central hall introduces a moment of contrast and depth, marking transitions and making the apartment feel larger than its footprint.

The living space is designed to shift in rhythm with the day, to support cooking, work, retreat, and rest. Kitchen fittings are concealed within a single piece of joinery: sliding and hinged panels allow taps, oven, and sink to disappear, offering calm when needed. The aim was to invite the tactility of daily life without letting it dominate the space.

Materials are simple, natural, and low-cost, elevated through care and detailing. In the shower room, a slatted ceiling of softwood battens conceals services while allowing air to circulate. Throughout, veneered plywood is edged with solid oak, elevating the feeling of quality whilst utilising the benefits of sheet materials.

With a total budget of £11,650, the project came in at just £291 per square metre (2020). The kitchen, including appliances, cost £3,200—no more than a typical flat-pack equivalent. Wynell Road is an example of how small spaces in cities can be adapted to suit modern ways of living, and through care and resourcefulness, do not need to come at high cost.