![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_hero-1-852x479.jpg)
Alma-nac wraps London home in brick to create House-within-a-House
Architecture studio Alma-nac has extended and added a second grey-brick skin to a 1950s property in Brockley, south London to create a contemporary family home.
Named House-within-a-House, the home has been built around a modest two-storey property that dates back to 1957.
Originally built as a replacement for a bomb-damaged semi-detached home, the house had come to look "incongruous and uninspiring" compared to other properties along the same street.
Alma-nac was brought on board to transform it into suitable living quarters for a couple with five young sons.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_2-852x1278.jpg)
"At the outset, we did of course consider demolishing the existing building and starting afresh," said the studio's director, Tristan Wigfall, "in many ways, this would have made our lives a lot simpler not having to work around the retained structure."
"However, while the building was visually incongruous it was structurally sound and it felt disingenuous to endeavour to create a sustainable project in the knowledge that we had not made use of the existing materials," he told Dezeen.
"We were excited by the challenge of transforming this ugly duckling into a striking contemporary piece of architecture that sat comfortably with its neighbours."
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_8-852x568.jpg)
Alma-nac first removed the roof of the original home, before using timber beams to construct a second floor.
The three-storey structure was then overlaid with pale-grey bricks, matching the materiality of surrounding properties, which are clad with London-stock brick.
In keeping with the shape of the property next door, the structure has also been given a pitched roof.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_13-852x568.jpg)
A single-storey side extension has been made at ground level to form a short covered walkway that takes inhabitants up to the front door.
"It leads you past an exposed brick wall of the original house, emphasising the house-within-a-house effect," explained the studio.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_12-852x568.jpg)
Inside, the layout of the front half of the house has been mostly preserved – an existing room has been turned into a cosy snug and study.
It looks out to the front garden through one of the six expansive windows that has been punctuated in the house's front facade.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_3-852x568.jpg)
More significant changes have been made to the rear of the property, where an extension has been erected to accommodate an expansive open-plan living area.
Like the main house, the extension has been finished with a skewed pointed roof, but instead of brick its exterior has been covered with white-stained timber planks.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_6-852x1278.jpg)
One side of the extension contains the kitchen, which has been finished with simple white cabinetry and a jet-black breakfast island.
The other side has a dining area, its central table surrounded by apple-green tub chairs.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_16-852x1278.jpg)
A couple of steps lead up to a sitting room that's dressed with mustard-yellow and grey sofas. Floor-to-ceiling shelving also provides a place for inhabitants to display books and personal trinkets.
The exposed timber framework of House-within-a-House's roof can be glimpsed through a central void that sits above the stairwell.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_18-852x862.jpg)
It leads to the first floor, where there is a trio of double bedrooms as well as a family bathroom.
Up on the second floor are a further three bedrooms, which the studio describes as having "cathedral-like proportions" because they sit directly beneath the peak of the roof.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_22-852x1628.jpg)
Similar to downstairs, pops of colour have been introduced here to offset the home's oak floorboards and neutral white-painted walls.
For example, in the master bedroom, the ensuite bathroom is enclosed by a Klein-blue timber volume.
![House-within-a-House by Alma-nac](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2020/05/house-within-a-house-alma-nac-architecture-london_dezeen_2364_col_21-852x1278.jpg)
Alma-nac was established in 2010 by Chris Bryant, Caspar Rodgers and Tristan Wigfall.
House-within-a-House is one of several projects the studio has completed in London – others include Cornwall Mews, a home in Chelsea that's arranged around a twisting cream staircase, and Slim House in Clapham, which measures just 2.3 metres wide.
Photography is by Jack Hobhouse.
Project credits:
Architect: Alma-nac
Project architects: Tristan Wigfall, Joe Reilly, Simon Campbell
Building contractor: David Stewart Building Contractor
Structural engineer: Constant – Brian Constant, John Goodwin
Project manager: Client – Dan Witchell and Michelle Anderson