Situated at the bottom of the clients’ back garden, Holloway Lightbox is a photography studio, a screenwriter’s retreat and flexible family space. In a nod to the couple’s respective professions (photography and film), a series of handmade coloured tiles represent the digital age, creating a playful ‘pixelated’ façade. This modern, yet sustainable skin presents an emphatic juxtaposition between new and old, incorporating chalky surface tones, helping to complement the rigid Victorian masonry adjacent.

AJ Small Project Awards shortlisted the Holloway Lightbox in 2018. In the Autumn of 2018 the space was opened to the public as part of Open House Weekend.

The Form

The form of the roof maximises south-westerly light through a full-width glazed opening, before sloping down towards the neighbouring garden. The 15 degree pitch of the roof matches the angle of the sun’s final rays before it nestles down behind the neighbouring row of terraces.

The Tiles

Made using waste timber fibres for reinforcement; the tiles are a low carbon alternative to the more commonly used concrete/cement mixes. Studio bark handmade more than 1200 tiles over a three week period. This included extensive testing of various forms, thicknesses, mixes, reinforcements and pigments.

The Environment

Studio Bark fully insulated the building shell using 150mm of natural timber fibre insulation to surpass current building regulations. The team used a concrete slab made of a cement mix using 50% GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag). It is a by-product from the Steel Industry which dramatically reduces the embodied energy of the building. Whilst doing so it also provides useful thermal mass for the studio. Studio Bark used a factory reconditioned low energy sliding door Sunflex SVG99. They also used a fixed roof light which is a low-E double glazed Panaroof clear skylight. In order to improve natural ventilation, Studio Bark built a small insulated hatch into the structure and sits behind the hung tiles, invisible to the passer-by, but essential after a long day of shooting!

The Build

Studio Bark gained planning approval in June 2015. They then handed it over to Studio Bark Projects for construction in the Autumn. The construction project took roughly 4 weeks. It was assisted by two teams of architecture students from the University of East London. A big shout out to all the brilliant student assistants who worked tirelessly to make this building a reality. To Lauretta, Athena, Alvin, Moiz, Sahand, Zi Xin, Nor Amirah, Mohamed, Mary, Thomas, Madihah and Afiqah.

Client Testimonial 

“A fantastic group of creative minds that seem to have no limits to what can be achieved.” 

– Jon Holloway, Client