In the late 1990s Kirstin was in need of two things: a flat and a new car. While dreaming of an old Porsche 356, she had looked at in a car showroom in Parson’s Green she discovered an interesting building in the neighbourhood called the Piper Building. A studio flat was for sale there, and it was love at first sight. The Porsche remained a dream, but she got the flat.
Private residence, London, England
Architect: Dominikus Stark Architekten
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Dinesen Douglas
Thickness: 28 mm. Width: 300 mm. Full lengths up to 11 m
Finish: Lye and white soap
The Piper Building is from the 1950s and takes its name from the coloured relief panels designed by the avant-garde artist John Piper. The murals are incorporated into the facade of the building which used to house a British gas office and laboratory. In 1997 the building was converted into residential loft-style units by Lifschutz Davidson architects. The panels were retained, and the building was re-named the Piper Building.
Kirstin lived in her studio flat until she met her husband. After they were married they bought the flat next door and completely gutted the two apartments, turning them into one huge loft of 260 m2 They used the architect Dominikus Stark, whom Kirstin had worked with before, and created a home with double-height ceiling in the kitchen/dining/living room space. At either end of the flat they made room for two floors, which contain the bedroom, bathrooms, children’s rooms, family area and a guest bedroom.
From the flat there is a spectacular view of the Thames River, which can also be enjoyed from the balconies. The interior is held mostly in white with clean and simple lines, which is nicely combined with light Dinesen Douglas planks throughout that add natural warmth to the rooms.
