MIXED-USE BOUTIQUE DEVELOPMENT IN THE HEART OF BETHNAL GREEN. Weavers House is a mixed-use development on a brownfield site in Bethnal Green, London’s East End. The project includes an art gallery and office space at street level, with a spacious family house, two private apartments and generous roof terraces above. Located in Derbyshire Street, Weavers House sits on the northern edge of Weavers Fields, a beloved 6.3-hectare open space in the heart of Bethnal Green. A dense urban location with a green oasis on its doorstep, that’s a perfect combination! The three-storey building is designed to resemble three stacked boxes, staggered to suit the needs of what’s inside them – private spaces are set back from the street and social spaces are pushed forward. This breaks down the monolithic façade and creates generous roof terraces and outdoor spaces for its occupants. On the ground floor, an art gallery faces leafy Derbyshire Street to take advantage of the active frontage. At the back, an office can be accessed independently from Voss Street, a cobblestone passageway to the north of the site, joining a cluster of independent creative agencies already in the street with close proximity to the bustling Bethnal Green Road. The residential entrance, also located in Derbyshire Street, leads to a one-bedroom apartment on the first floor, a spacious double-storey family house occupying the first and second floor, and a further one-bedroom apartment on the second floor. The family house has an ‘inverted’ space organisation – bedrooms and private spaces are located on the first floor. They are set back from Derbyshire Street, creating a roof terrace to shelter the spaces and to provide privacy. On the other hand, entertainment spaces including the dining room, living room and kitchen are located on the second floor, taking advantage of the panoramic view of Weavers Fields and the City of London skyline. The family house also has access to a very large roof terrace above the second floor. It provides lots of outdoor space for the growing family in this urban, densely populated part of London. Located on an infill site with buildings to the east and west, the north and south façades are cladded with full-height glazing panels to maximise natural daylight indoors. And there is more. The south façade is protected by operable timber shutters. When the shutters are all closed, the building looks like three simple timber boxes. These shutters provide shading from direct sunlight in hot summer days and privacy in the evenings, creating an active, ever-changing façade. And there is more. The timber shutters create an active, customisable and ever-changing façade – it will change with the season, the time of the day and the activities inside, creating a dialogue with the outside world. http://studioyat.com/projects/weavers-house/