Digging deep: Architect Nick Gowing on creating his light-filled semi-sunken home

Low-slung and modernist leaning from the outside, there’s a timeless simplicity to the interiors, too. “Both Charlotte and I like simple spaces that are well-lit, nicely proportioned and don’t have too many things going on,” notes Nick. “We’ve kept the palette very pared-back, with a lot of light and glazing.”

Applying the same understated, less-is-more principle that his practice is known for, Orchard Place brings an edge of escapism to the everyday. “It’s very un-Chiswick,” Nick admits. Stylistically miles apart from its Victorian and Edwardian neighbours, the home’s polished concrete floors and bright outlook bookended by gardens invite carefree, barefoot living. A well-insulated structure means that inside, it’s T-shirt weather all year round. “I wanted to feel slightly like I was on holiday,” he smiles. The counter-current pool is a case in point: “It’s place of complete relaxation and escapism”.

That doesn’t mean practical matters have been neglected. Functionality comes to the fore in the footprint. Towards the back of the home, a playroom opens to the pool and provides a place to switch off together. At the other end, the kitchen and living space is a hive of activity, while the bedrooms are tucked away on the floor below, illuminated by three-metre-high lightwells and internal courtyards. “When we’re all at home, we spend our time in the living spaces, so it was right that we flipped the house the way we did,” Nick explains.

The ground floor is also home to his favourite room – the ng architecture HQ. Balancing the dual purposes of life and work can be a tricky, he admits, but connectivity to the house as a whole is always key. “From my office, I can see every other room on this floor. I can look out to both the front garden and the back, so I can survey the whole estate from one spot,” he laughs. “It’s very important to still feel part of what’s going on. Plus, if I have a rare flash of inspiration at 3am, I can get up and get on with it.”

The sense of flow throughout is certainly satisfying. All doors are full height, so one room dissolves into the next in succession. “It’s great if you’re learning to ride a bicycle, like our children did when they were younger,” Nick elaborates. “I’m not a huge fan of closing doors. If a door is open here, regardless of what room it’s open to, I like that it doesn’t necessarily draw your attention, it’s just another space.”

The fluency of the material palette adds to this sense of cohesion. Concrete floors are a constant, while matte white tiling blends into white walls in the bathrooms, and the solid oak-clad kitchen resembles a piece of furniture. Ultimately, everything is as refreshingly unobtrusive as it can be. “I guess it’s about trying to make as little fuss of those functional spaces as possible,” Nick muses.

There’s no showy tech either. Considered rather than cutting-edge, the couple’s decision to not “go overboard with the kit” was intentional. Well-insulated, the semi-sunken structure means the home remains naturally cool even in the height of summer yet doesn’t require much heating in winter. “I’d rather use the natural environment to heat and cool our house rather than a mechanical solution,” Nick reasons, pointing out that the sedum roof adds to the insulating effect from above – as well as a green flourish to the exterior.

He’ll miss the feeling of serenity and remarkable quiet the most. “It’s very leafy, here. We might be close to Chiswick high road, yet the moment the gates close behind you and you’re in the garden, you could be in the middle of nowhere.”

As the couple’s sixth home together, and one of countless they’ve designed, the process becomes more honed with every move. “Each time, we’ve fine-tuned what we like,” Nick reflects. “What we try to do as a practice is focus on the simplicity of materials, natural light and the proportion of the rooms, and I think that is very much reflected in this house.”

Does the same apply to client projects? “We don’t try and impose our design on other people’s houses,” he emphasises. “We might coordinate the space and the materials better within the architectural aesthetic they want to achieve rather than what we want to achieve for them. Ultimately, though, we don’t want them to feel like they’re living in someone else’s house.”

As diplomatic as ever.

Orchard Place is for sale for £3,625,000