A London Architect Builds His Family's Home Around a Century-Old Tree

When architect Jake Edgley and his wife found an abandoned plot of land in London that was formerly a Victorian-era market, they could see its potential as the location for a home with their three kids. What they didn't see was a 100-year-old pear tree, which was buried under ivy and trash. But once it was discovered, the tree became an essential component to the layout Edgley and his namesake firm devised: two wings that surround a central courtyard and frame the trunk. "The house was designed around a simple concept of privacy and light," Edgley said. "There are solid walls facing the sides where the site looks toward neighbors, and lots of glass to the central pear tree courtyard." Because of this, the property is decidedly airy, but Edgley was sure to choose materials, such as concrete and wood, that would be "tough enough for a two year old in dirty wellies holding a felt tip pen." And in addition to including thermodynamic roof panels and rain water harvesting, Edgley also chose formaldehyde-free materials and non-toxic paints to complete his vision. Now the outstretched branches thrive on a site where modernism yields to Mother Nature.