SITE
London, UK

​

STATUS
Built Project 

​

COLLABORATORS
Jonah Rollason and Tim Mason 

​

TEXT

​

A conglomeration of reclaimed bricks, yorkstone, and roof tiles join to form a dry stone passage for a writer and pianist in a garden in north London. Selected from a local reclamation centre, the spolia forms a collage of building histories. Built without mortar, the heavy and robust structure employs a methodology used widely throughout the rural peripheries. The weight and friction hold the stones in place with strong invisible ties, while a slight batter and infill causes the stones to settle with integrity.

 

The art of dry stone walling provides an opportunity for architecture to be circular and abundant with life. The wall can be dismantled and rebuilt with ease, while many gaps within the structure provide a safe haven for birds, snails, insects, mosses, ferns, and lichen.