Maru House

This project started out as a retrofit project to renew a semi-detached home in West Ealing and improve its comfort and sustainability. The building was in poor condition – with damp and recurring black mould, and the spaces were awkward for the owners to live in.

Our new design for Maru House is our contemporary rethink of the 1930s semi detached house.  At the front, a folded facade echoes the other half of the semi, but opens into a light filled home that will flow beautifully to accommodate its owners and their family.  The timber structure will be exposed internally and externally clad in textured render that will evoke the brick and banded render that is typical of the neighbouring homes. At the rear the home is more contemporary, with a flat roof and stepped massing to allow for improved detailing, enhanced daylight, and passive design measures, including shading and ventilation strategies to mitigate overheating.

Retrofit or New Build

Over the course of our initial investigations, we gradually came to the difficult conclusion that a new start would be the best solution.

We worked with Structural Engineers Webb Yates to come up with an alternative low carbon, new build plan that would have a similar environmental impact as the retrofit we had originally planned. Together, we undertook a sustainability review with a whole-life carbon assessment and structural review.

As a practice we generally prioritise and advocate for retrofit wherever feasible. But here, the extent of deterioration to the building combined with the level of intervention required to structurally secure the building would require a substantial amount of demolition and rebuilding. The whole life carbon assessment compared the relative carbon implications of maintaining the existing dwelling as it is, two retrofit options and a replacement dwelling to provide clear justification for the proposed redevelopment.

The new build option – with low carbon materials – worked out to have a similar embodied carbon impact ( the materials and transport), and a much-improved operational carbon impact ( the energy it takes to run the building – eg heating and lighting).

Rethinking your home? contact us to talk about your project.

What’s in a name?

Maru is the Japanese symbol  meaning circle, entirety or complete. This reflects the design philosophy of this home, as a cohesive, whole environment. The central atrium forms a literal and conceptual circle around which all internal spaces are organised. The name underscores the intention to create a balanced, integrated home where movement, light, and usable space connect, to promote a sense of completeness and harmony throughout.

With a clear and efficient internal layout tailored to modern family living, the approved proposal will create a calm, healthy and low-carbon sanctuary. It balances environmental performance with architectural sensitivity, offering a thoughtful response to both the needs of its occupants and the surrounding context.

Now that we have been given the go ahead at planning, we can’t wait to get on site to make our clients home whole again.

Get in touch for a conversation about making your house whole again