Apartment building has wicker baskets for balconies

No, your eyes do not deceive you, this apartment building has wicker basket balconies. The only thing missing is a deflated hot air balloon draped over the roof.

This innovative north London building was designed by Amin Taha Architects to fill a slim space between two existing buildings on what is otherwise a typical Victorian-era street.

It almost looks to us as though the wicker baskets have been pushed out of the windows, resulting in a striking facade of bold brickwork, large glazing and the textured woven natural wicker.

According to Amin Taha’s website the balconies are large enough for outdoor dining, and are deliberately high to maximise privacy for each of the two and three bedroom apartments.

Comprising six apartments, the building is topped off with a gabled roof which hints towards the more traditional architectural styles in the area, in particular the neighbouring school. And yet the building is minimal in its use of materials.

The layering of bricks in a staggered format results in a ‘perforated’ effect, which reflects similar details in other nearby architecture.

Architecturally the building features an underlying cross-laminated timber structure surrounded by a brick cladding shell. The brick exterior in fact does not bear an load from the internal wooden structure which could stand alone (though it wouldn’t be very hard-wearing). Much of that timber structure is exposed internally, giving these apartments a warm and cosy Scandinavian feel.

Cross-laminated timber is growing in popularity as a major structural material. This engineered wood is built up of multiple layers of timber effectively glued together, resulting in a finished material apparently as strong as steel and concrete.

We’re seeing more and more innovations in construction materials, as developers find new ways to meet the desire of consumers and the industry itself for more sustainable construction solutions.source: amintaha

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