Courtyard Lantern House | Creative Studio

CREATIVE STUDIO

SELECTED PROJECT / 2023

Courtyard Lantern House

An art-filled family residence organized around a luminous inner court, where warm timber thresholds, mineral surfaces, and precisely framed views turn everyday circulation into a sequence of calm interior moments.

0103

TYPOLOGY

Interiors

LOCATION

London, United Kingdom

YEAR

2023

CLIENT

Private Residence

AREA

4,600 sq ft

STUDY DURATION

4-day photographic study

01 / PROJECT NARRATIVE

DESIGN STUDIO

Field Assembly

SERVICES

Interior photography / Art documentation / Daylight studies / Spatial storytelling

A house illuminated from within

Courtyard Lantern House replaces a conventional corridor plan with a sequence of rooms gathered around a planted inner court. The court brings daylight deep into the footprint, gives every major space a living focal point, and creates a protected outdoor room at the center of family life.

The interiors balance gallery-like restraint with moments of warmth and color. Mineral walls and exposed concrete provide a quiet background for art, while oak-lined thresholds, handmade objects, and deep red joinery give each room a distinct point of recognition.

Our photographic narrative follows the changing relationship between enclosure and openness, moving from intimate material details to longer views that connect several rooms through the courtyard.

02 / DESIGN FRAMEWORK

PRINCIPLES / PROGRAM / PERFORMANCE

STUDIO NOTE / 01

The courtyard gives the house its clock: every room understands the time of day through light, shadow, and the movement of leaves.

Anika Fernando, Design Director - Field Assembly

Design principles

Bring daylight from the center. Let circulation touch landscape. Use restrained surfaces to amplify art and daily objects. Mark thresholds with warmth and texture. Allow every room to borrow space and view from the courtyard.

Together these principles create an interior that feels composed without becoming static, with architecture acting as a quiet framework for changing family life.

Spatial program

The ground floor places living, dining, kitchen, library, and guest suite around the open court. Wide sliding openings connect these rooms into a continuous loop, while smaller pockets provide places for reading, display, and retreat.

An open stair rises beside the court to three family bedrooms, a compact study, and a shaded upper gallery. Screens and bridges maintain visual connection across levels while preserving privacy within each room.

Utility and service spaces form a discreet band along the western boundary, protecting the primary interiors from afternoon heat and street activity.

PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT

SITE AREA

0.31 acres

LEVELS

BEDROOMS

BATHROOMS

DAYLIGHT COVERAGE

86%

LIGHTING DEMAND

27%

PRIMARY ORIENTATION

North-east / protected courtyard axis

03 / PROCESS AND OUTCOMES

CHALLENGE / RESPONSE / RESULT

A / CONSTRAINT

Project challenge

The deep urban plot had limited access to useful perimeter light and needed privacy from closely spaced neighbors. The owners also required calm exhibition surfaces for a growing art collection without allowing the house to feel like a formal gallery.

The photography needed to preserve the subtle tonal differences between concrete, lime wash, pale stone, and timber while holding detail in both shaded rooms and the bright court beyond.

B / INTERVENTION

Design response

The central court acts as both a light well and a climatic buffer. High-level openings release warm air, shaded sliding panels encourage cross-ventilation, and planting softens reflected light before it reaches the surrounding rooms.

Built-in display ledges and recessed lighting were integrated into the architecture so art could change over time without visual clutter. Timber frames mark each transition and bring a tactile scale to the otherwise monolithic surfaces.

We photographed at first light, midday, and dusk, using the same viewpoints to show the court shifting from cool daylight source to warm internal lantern.

C / RESULT

Project outcome

The final image series presents an interior shaped by time rather than styling alone. Long views communicate the clarity of the plan, while closer frames reveal the gentle irregularity of plaster, timber grain, stone edges, and hand-finished joinery.

The work now supports the architects portfolio, editorial features, and conversations with clients interested in compact courtyard living. It also provides the owners with a record of the house before the collection and garden continue to evolve.

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

MATERIAL PALETTE

Lime-washed plaster / warm oak / exposed concrete / red lacquer accents

ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY

Central courtyard, stack ventilation, shaded glazing, north light, planted cooling, and low-energy ambient lighting

COLLABORATORS

Field Assembly / Common Ground Landscape / Redline Joinery / Northlight Art Services

COMPLETION STATUS

Completed 2023

04 / SPATIAL SEQUENCE

CIRCULATION / GARDEN / LIGHTWELL