Hemp House

Project Info

Transforming a damaged Victorian terrace, Hemp House serves as a case study, showing how low-carbon architecture can be used to sensitively extend and alter conventional urban housing.  

Working almost entirely with natural and reclaimed materials – primarily hempcrete, timber, and lime – the project reimagines a semi-derelict property in Hackney as a resilient, environmentally conscious family home.  

The original house had been damaged during the second world war and partially rebuilt in a precarious way. A detailed assessment of the existing building – considering what could be preserved, repaired or reused – informed every decision and helped to retain as much of the original fabric as possible while minimising waste.   

The structurally compromised rear section of the house was dismantled, with salvageable masonry reused throughout the project. A new timber frame with hempcrete wall panels replaces this part of the house, while Scottish-grown larch cladding provides a durable external finish. A double-height space encourages natural ventilation, enhancing airflow throughout the building. 

Within the front half of the plan, the traditional Victorian layout has been repaired with natural, fully recyclable materials and reorganised into a series of connected rooms that lead naturally from the street through to the garden. Together, the retained structure and carefully chosen materials create a home that respects its past while offering a practical model for the future of sustainable urban renovation.