James Davies designs compact Hackney mews house with 77 sq m floor area using CLT panels and green features

Architect James Davies designed Greenview House in Hackney, London, as a two-bedroom residence with a 77 sq m floor area on a 40 sq m plot. The project replaced a former garage in a backstreet mews, serving as a home for Davies, his partner, and their whippet. Arranged across three levels including a basement, the house utilizes interconnected double-height spaces to enhance spatial perception and daylight penetration. Lightwells at the front and rear prevent the basement from feeling isolated, while a small roof terrace and a 3m-wide living green wall in the rear courtyard provide outdoor elements. The structure incorporates blackened timber façade, large frameless windows, oak carpentry, polished concrete floors, and galvanised steel details. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels were used for construction, improving insulation and accelerating the building process. Environmental performance is achieved through triple glazing, an air source heat pump, and a mechanical heat recovery system, with the house averaging about two days per week of free electricity during summer. Paper House Project, Davies's London-based studio, specializes in residential work focusing on refurbishment and strategic planning to enhance performance and livability.