London Underground: Inside the incredible Peckham house the size of a Tube carriage
The small piece of land was derelict for a number of years
Ruby GregoryCommunity Reporter
The 'Slot House' was designed by Sally and Sandy Rendel (Image: Jim Stephenson 2019)
When you picture your dream home, what do you imagine it to look like?
Is it an extravagant mansion that belongs on Millionaire's Row? Or does size not matter to you?
For one married couple from Peckham, it certainly doesn't.
The 'Slot House' is an incredibly tiny house that is about the size of a London Tube carriage, and was designed by architects, Sally and Sandy Rendel.
The couple's house measures just 2.8 metres wide and sits on disused land that laid vacant for several years.
Their house was featured in the Grand Designs annual special, House of the Year on Channel 4 last Wednesday (November 24), and received high praise for its economic use of space.
The property's phenomenal size and architectural design was shortlisted for the RIBA House of the Year award, a prestigious award which celebrates some of the best one-off houses designed by architects across the UK.
Judges outlined why the house was shortlisted in the RIBA Jury report: "With housing demand what it is, especially within thriving areas that see families and key workers gradually priced out of neighbourhoods, there exist a multitude of "slot", corner, slither, and back-land sites.
"Slot House' demonstrates how with a little more time spent coordinating structure, waste and supply pipes, staircases and cabinetry the tightest of sites can be inhabited without several more wall, floor and ceiling linings needed to hide the often uncoordinated.
"It is after all only careful and combined design time, it doesn't cost any extra but rewards its occupants with credible habitable spaces filled with light, uplifting and with outlook.
"Simply and modestly illustrating what architects do, finding the beautiful and seemingly inevitable from the meagre and ignored."
Sally and Sandy designed and built the house alongside their home which allowed them to really brainstorm how they could make use of such a small space.
Sandy told Grand Designs host, Michelle Ogundehin: "It's not this grand bit of architecture or anything, it's the opposite.
"It's just a very modest little house. But hopefully it proves we can create something of worth in such a tight space. It has something of quality of it as well."
The ground floor begins with an open plan living room and a kitchen while the mezzanine study overlooks it from up above.
Also on the first floor, is the couple's bedroom and bathroom.
The couple unveiled the house in 2020, and have been enjoying living in their south London home ever since.
Sally and Sandy's house is one of seven shortlisted for the House of the Year award, with the winner announced in the final Grand Designs episode next Wednesday (December 8).
Have you got a story we should be covering? Contact Ruby at ruby.gregory@reachplc.com
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The house has exposed brick as well as high ceilings
(Image: Jim Stephenson 2019)1 of 4
The mezzanine study overlooks an open plan living room and kitchen
Sally and Sandy's house is shortlisted for RIBA's House of the Year award
Another breathtaking glance of the couple's mezzanine space