Parkholme Road, London | Macdonald Wright Architects

Parkholme Road house is the east London home of architect James Macdonald Wright, completed in 2009. While the exterior of the original 19th century historical Victorian terraced house was preseved, the interior was almost totally remodelled into a contemporary 220 sq.m. four bedroom family residence, with the addition of a new copper and glass box extension.


The house was designed with a minimal and green design approach, including the feeling of surprise. The spacious white living room is fresh, uncluttered and bathed in daylight.

Beautiful interiors are fully covered with amazing wide-plank Douglas fir flooring from Danish company Dinesen, treated with lye and soap. The all white, minimal Kitchen and the table is by Bulthaup, while the chairs are the iconic Hans Wegner's wishbone chairs.

Background, atmospheric concealed lighting is provided from the numerous different niches found around the house, lit with led stripes. Some of the original details of the house, such as the stained glass windows in the bathroom, were also carefully restored. 

The building incorporates exceptional thermal efficiency with extra insulated external walls and roof and uses renewable energy technologies such as solar heating and water recycling.

Photography © Rogan Macdonald | Courtesy of Macdonald Wright Architects




Description from Macdonald Wright Architects:

Originally built in 1893, Macdonald Wright Architects comprehensively remodelled 39 Parkholme Road to create a sensitively designed home for Wright’s young family. Key to the success of this build was preserving the building’s historic integrity while achieving high levels of energy reduction.

The building envelope was stripped then fully insulated. Solar water heating, a weather compensating boiler and grey water recycling have helped yield an Energy Performance Certificate rating equivalent to that of a new build.

All materials were sourced as locally as possible, with recycled copper cladding from Hackney Wick, coppiced chestnut fencing from Sussex and slate roof tiles from Wales.

The house has featured in several Architectural and Interior publications and participated in London Open House in 2010 and 2011.













Source: Macdonald Wright Architects | Ebco