How to create the perfect self-build home? Architect Nic Howett knows just how, as his own self-build in south London, Secret Garden Flat, was not only recently completed and looking great – but it also scooped the top spot, Home of the Year, at the Don't Move, Improve 2023 competition in May.
The truly unique project in Camberwell's conservation area was a labour of love – and Howett's own home, for his family of three. The brief outlined the remodelling of an existing, awkward, ground-level flat on a busy road, extending it into the long, wild rear property garden. The architect employed his own self-building skills and a material palette that feels at home in a leafy setting – an oasis of calm and greenery, filled with flowers and a vegetable patch. Sustainable architecture principles employed include natural materials (predominantly timber), sedum roofs, high-performance glazing, and high levels of insulation. The scheme adds a bedroom and a private studio, increasing liveable space considerably while injecting much-needed design quality to the family residence.
