m.os architects

Peckham, London SE15

Award winning conversion of a joiner’s workshop into a new two bedroom house in a back land site.

The design converts the existing 90m2 workshop into a house of 125 m2 plus outdoor spaces.

Due to the tight constraints of the site, outdoor space and light are incorporated by strategically positioned courtyards, roof lights and a lightwell. This also led to innovative design solutions, including the formation of a glazed wall in the main living area, just a metre from the raw London stock brick boundary wall. This allowed the wall to become a focal point of the room, while light and ventilation is provided from above.

A variety of spaces achieve a complex mix of interiors providing a place of solace within its urban context.

Daylight enters the living area from five separate sources, animating the interior through the course of a day.

The Design received a high commendation and won the people’s vote in the 2017 AJ Small Projects Awards.

Due to budget constraints the project was phased and since completion in 2014 an additional third floor bedroom extension has been added.

Photography Tim Crocker

Hampstead, London NW3

Major alterations to an existing 110m2 two bedroom house located in a conservation area. Complete re-working of the interior provides a living area at ground level and bedrooms to the upper floors. A top lit floating study with terrace above located to the rear of the house provides a dramatic home office for the owners.

The key move was to eliminate a dark external courtyard to the north side and replace it with a three storey void through the centre of the plan. The dramatic affect of the void exaggerates the scale of the building while providing natural light to all levels.

Photography Tim Crocker

Hampstead Grove, London NW3

Proposed major alterations to an existing 180m2 three bedroom house located in a conservation area. The elegant proportions of the exterior conceal a badly configured interior layout - a result of two semi detached properties be configured into one home approximately 20 years ago. Numerous stairs and awkward room layouts are a residue of the past.

The key move was to strip out the multiple stairs and insert a new stair which follows the rear wall of the house providing direct access to all bedrooms from the ground level. A rooflight is inserted over the stair to create a dramatic light filled space enhancing the experience when progressing to the upper levels. The scale of the building is exaggerated.

Re-working of the interior and adjusting the floor levels creates an additional bedroom in the roof space. One with dramatic views across Hampstead and beyond.

A new roof terrace off the loft bedroom is proposed to unlock fabulous long distance views to the east. All accessed from a glass enclosed stair.

An extension to the basement is proposed to provide the family with additional living and work space.

Loughborough Junction, London SE21

The alterations to this small urban house make the most of the existing situation - a gloomy old shell with two small yards has been converted into a dramatic dwelling with two outdoor spaces - a paved entrance space and a secret garden opening off the main bedroom. The layout has been revised to create an upside down house: living spaces are now on the top level. The mass of the house has been realigned to afford a view along the street.

The pure white box contains an eclectic arrangement of windows and rooflights which animate the interior throughout the course of the day.

The construction cost for the project was £120k, which included a new rendered facade, new windows and frameless glass corner window, a new stair case and floors containing underfloor heating throughout.

London N1

The brief was to modernise a 1970’s terraced house for 21st century living. It required major alterations, including relocating the stairs to open up the interior into a free flowing sequence of interior spaces.

The open plan design maximises the sense of scale, provides a direct connection to the garden and creates a home conducive for entertaining.

Strategically positioned rooflights provide dramatic natural lighting over the stair and bathroom expressing a vertical axis to juxtapose the horizontal emphasis of the ground floor level.

photography by Andy Mathews https://www.andymatthewsphoto.com

P3 Gallery, London

Design of a four week exhibition of Le Corbusier/ Pierre Jeanneret furniture from the city of Chandigarh.

Held in the dramatic 14,000 sq ft P3 exhibition hall at the University of Westminster, a major launch party was organised and a symposium coordinated in conjunction with Docomomo UK, which proved an important part of the London events calendar.

The exhibition included direct research by Richa Mukhia and John O’Shea and documentation presenting the history of the city and the story of its furniture.

They also integrated the work of Swedish photographer Mats Eriksson into the show, who had photographed Chandigarh as a project on architectural modernist ideas.

This exhibition included the film ‘From a New Architecture’, made by Richa and John, capturing the experience of the inhabited city as it is today, 60yrs after it’s conception.

London N5

with Kevin Fellingham Architecture

The brief asked for a new kitchen, rear extension and links to the under-used rear garden. The design solution was to make alterations to the interior, with a new kitchen and create a garden room with an immediate link to the lower rear garden.

The extension is predominantly an in-situ concrete box with two sides glazed. Timber window frames, a rooflight and a planted roof respond to the surrounding green setting. A paved and planted raised terrace off the extension provides an intermediate space between house and garden creating an outdoor room.

Harrow, London

M.OS architects were commission to development the concept for a new Hindu temple to be incorporated into the Harrow & Wealdstone masterplan.

On a tight urban site the proposal created communal facilities at ground level, which could be used for dining events, meetings and yoga classes. The facilities provide support for the primary use of the building, a prayer space located on the upper level, which will accommodate 200 worshippers.

The prayer space benefits from a voluminous space defined by perforated metal peripheral walls creating an atmospheric interior of filtered natural light. A sculptured ceiling reinforces the focal point of the worship space.

London SE5

Located in a conservation area, a new rear extension with living space and study provides a new centre to this existing Victorian family home. The new extension connects to the existing house via a glazed link. The surrounding garden and courtyard will be landscaped in response to the surrounding spaces and micro-climatic conditions created by the new extension.

Harrow & Wealdstone, London

The Council asked for a Masterplan strategy to turn an existing blighted car parking area into a new public square off Harrow & Wealdstone high street.

The proposal inserts a new wall around the perimeter of the square and locates a pop-up stall, gallery space and a bicycle repair business within the wall. Each function reinforces the new market and public games facilities centred in the square.

This newly reclaimed piece of public realm is presently being developed for construction.

Adelaide, Australia

Complete refurbishment of the interior of a beach apartment in the Adelaide suburbs.

A single gesture utilising the joinery to unite the lounge, dining and kitchen space ends with a framed view of the beach beyond. The joinery creates both efficiency of space and a visual focus for the entire living area.

with Alex Popov Architects

Whilst working with Alex Popov Architects, John O’Shea had a central role in the creation of this newly built house on a steep, secluded site within a bush land setting with views onto the Sydney waterways.

The house has a glazed central split-level living/dining area with solid wings to the sides containing three bedrooms and a guest wing. Entry is from the rear of the site through a low doorway into a sequence of spaces which arrive in a dramatic double volume space looking onto the water.

A ‘hydro’ pool provides an outdoor focal point and focus for entertainment reinforced by high specification interior finishes.

Waalwijk, Netherlands

A complete refurbishment of the 1930’s Van Haren shoe factory into a 2,500m2 exhibition gallery for modern antique furniture. Addition functions required for the development include a restoration workshop, staff and restaurant facilities.

The proposed design inserts a walled cloister around the perimeter of the existing factory space. The defined route creates anticipation and drama heightening the experience of moving through the vast space. Dramatic artificial lighting combined with limited amounts of natural light further enhance the experience.

By articulating the old factory with the new cloister, individual furniture items are presented through a composed sequence of spaces allowing the viewer to observe and reflect on the quality each item.

Loughborough Junction, London SE21

Complete refurbishment of an existing service and storage area into a new interior to form a new 6th Form Centre.

The design provides a new breakout space and computer-based work area with additional relaxation and leisure areas for the students.

Richmond, Virginia USA

working for Rick Mather Architects

John O’Shea worked for Rick Mather Architects from the outset of the $150m museum expansion project. The project included a new $70m wing, sculpture garden and 600 space carpark. The new facilities included temporary and permanent galleries, conservation workshop, offices, restaurant/cafe and library. The project was initiated in 2001 and completed in 2009.

Adelaide, Australia

Submission for a new public space and community facility for the centre of Adelaide. A landscaped green roof rises from a public square creating a new piece of urban realm for the city. Below the landscaped roof is a ‘makers’ space for theatre production and use by the community.

The Civic Hub forms a central node where performance equipment is fabricated and dispatched via shipping containers to other public spaces around the city. Under-utilised public spaces will be animated throughout the year with pop-up events.

Harrow & Wealdstone, London

Design Strategy

As key component of the masterplan of Harrow & Wealdstone is the proposed conversion of the 1970’s civic centre into residential and community based facilities.

Over sixty dramatic apartments are proposed over four floors with communal/cultural and creative work-based facilities to create a new cultural centre for the area.

Apartments, rooftop cinema, gardens, cafes, restaurants and start-up work spaces provide a diverse mix of spaces and functions within this existing modern icon.

Site presently under development

Collaboration with Mark Brearley, branding and PR campaign seeking to promote and celebrate London’s manufacturing industry.

Major alterations are planned for this two storey Victorian home located in a conservation area.

The brief required a new loft extension for the master bedroom and alterations to the ground floor plan to provide additional and improved living space for the family.

The rear extension exploits the full width of the property opening up the ground floor into an open plan light filled interior. The kitchen will form the hub of the home with the dining area located under the sloping glazed area. The framed structure between the glazed rooflight will be animated by the sunlight as it enters the space. An internal and external window seat provides a direct connection between inside and outside.