BRITISH HOMES AWARDS 2018 “Here is the terrace, deconstructed. Max Strano and Claudio Inserra, of Bureau69, a niche Italian architecture outfit that opened in London last year, paired two terraced homes to create a “double module” with a pitched roof. They then broke this down into three elements — base, house and shell — and shifted them around to create the pronounced asymmetrical shape of the Shell. The ground-floor base comprises covered parking and a flat that could house an elderly parent or nanny, or be used as an office. Stretching over two or three storeys above is the living space, with stairs down to the garden from the open-plan kitchen/living space on the first floor. Wrapped around it all is an aluminium shell — with gaps to let in sunlight — creating a partly shaded terrace next to the two second-floor bedrooms and shielding residents from being overlooked. An air-to-water heat pump takes care of heating, cooling and hot water; insulation includes cork and straw. Built mostly in a factory, with only the foundations, floor plate, roof and finishes constructed on site” (Sunday Times, 02 Sept 2018)