Passive Mews was honored as a finalist for the 2014 UK Passivhaus Awards, Bespoke Project Design Category
PassivHaus
Passive Mews I
RDA’s first certified Passivhaus. Built on a tight site in a South London Mews at the back of a Grade II listed building. The original building was used as a coach house with no thermal efficiency.
Our clients wanted their new home to be considerate of the buildings industrial aesthetic. The house itself is built with SIPS panels, a modular design technique that allows off site construction, with highly efficient internal insulation. To retain the industrial feel we used a brick slip cladding system.
With sustainability important to our client, the home was built to Passivhaus standards, which could be achieved with the SIPS construction method, with the introduction of triple glazed windows and regulated air tightness. These extra measures reduce heating costs for our clients by up to 95% as well as reducing carbon emissions.
The project replaces a derelict rear garage with a contemporary three-bedroom home and artist’s studio, carefully reflecting the character and rhythm of the surrounding mews. Accessed via a narrow rear lane, the scheme makes efficient use of a tight infill site within a conservation area, responding sensitively to both planning constraints and its historic context. Despite these limitations, the design incorporates off-street parking and adopts a low-maintenance approach suited to long-term use.
At its core, the house is driven by energy efficiency and comfort-led design principles. Every element has been considered to create a highly liveable environment that balances performance with practicality, demonstrating how small, constrained sites can still deliver generous and adaptable homes.
Flexibility is key to the long-term success of the scheme. The artist’s studio can be annexed for rental use, integrated into the main open-plan living spaces, or converted into a self-contained flat for future family needs. This built-in adaptability ensures the house can evolve over time, supporting changing patterns of living.
Passive Mews I stands as an example of how a neglected brownfield site can be transformed into an affordable, sustainable home - showing the potential of underused urban spaces to contribute meaningfully to the city’s housing fabric.
OUR CLIENT'S STORIES
"From start to finish, the service provided by RDA architects was exemplary. Richard guided us through the planning application, advised us on design and delivered the project on time which was crucial for our business."
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