any architects design a house as their
first solo project, so in that sense Jake Moulson’s case
is not unusual. But far from being a typical residential
conversion, Moulson’s renovated Georgian townhouse
is a true one-off: an intricate collage of different
materials and atmospheres that has been carefully
orchestrated to feel almost like several different
projects folded into one. The resulting home is a real
architectural treasure trove that begs to be explored
and experienced.
As elaborate and extravagant as the space may
seem, there is a surprisingly pragmatic thinking behind
it and a method in the madness of its London-based
author. Before setting up his own studio in Hackney,
Moulson worked at practices known for their
considered, material-led and hands-on attitude: he
was with Carl Turner Architects for almost two years
and, straight out of the Royal College of Art, worked
for Peter Salter on his fantastically idiosyncratic
Walmer Yard housing project. Both architects have
a distinctive, tactile and craft-led approach that
resonates with Moulson’s ethos. ‘I have always been
intensely involved with the testing and making of
things,’ he admits.
Moulson also served time with Gerrard O’Carroll,
and was designing a house in Ireland with him when
O’Carroll passed away in 2010. The project involved
the transformation of a cottage in Glendalough into
a weekend home for Adrian and Jennifer O’Carroll, »ABOVE, THE GROUND-FLOOR
BREAKFAST ROOM, WITH
DEEP BLUE WALLS, LEATHER
BANQUETTES AND BRASS
STORAGE ELEMENTS
RIGHT, THE ANNEX’S GARAGE
DOOR, WITH AN OCULUS THAT
MIRRORS THE COACH HOUSE’S
ORIGINAL CIRCULAR WINDOWSM
∑ 079
In Residence