Essex Mews is a small development of three new-build family homes by emerging practice MW Architects in conjunction with Roger Zogolovitch and award-winning Solidspace Developments. Situated on backland in a Crystal Palace conservation area, the steeply sloping site was previously given over to garages and wasteland. The architects have taken advantage of the existing topography to create mews-style houses that employ the trademark Solidspace split section, with two storeys in front, three at the rear. Although modest externally, with polite references to the local vernacular, they are spectacularly spacious inside and filled with natural light. Historically a steep cattle run on backland in a Crystal Palace conservation area, this overlooked site had only been useable as garaging and wasteland. The architects have carefully placed these polite and apparently small houses on the existing topography and used it to effortlessly set up the Solidspace split section. Modest externally but spectacular and spacious internally with generous volumes filled with natural light.