darkmatter

A scaly biodiverse façade defines a garden workspace. Hidden within a garden on a suburban plot in the market town of Tring, Hertfordshire, U.K.

The studio was made possible by readapting the ruins of a former garage, into a 35m2 studio designed as a workspace for a design recruiter.

Defined by 850 larch scales 'Dark Matter’s' façade is arrayed in a uniform grid, offset from each other by a precise 10mm. Each scale is then chamfered at 15 degrees forming a tapestry of crevasses or 'habitats for arachnids and insects. These biodiverse walls form the outer rain-screen cladding of the studio. The palette has a subtle charred pattern, differing depending on the intensity of heat used the char varies from deep crackling to smooth singes. Blade like reveals cut this scaly tapestry at the openings, Hooded apertures form external stoops to sit and contemplate at.

The studio has a simple rectangular plan with one corner cut away. The cut away forms the entrance, cantilevered the opening is framed and divided by a centrally pivoting extra wide bespoke scaly door.