I was asked recently by Turner Architects to shoot a full-house renovation project in North London for them, but in this case to shoot it before the builders moved in. The house had been lived in for decades by the previous owner, who had not only left the decor unaltered for half a century, but had modified, customised and hacked the house to suit his needs. So a downstairs living room had been a workshop, a bedroom had been a darkroom complete with home-made timer clocks and infra-red lamps, and the loft rooms - I guess unoccupied most of the time - were sealed off behind a 'spaceship door' on the stairs to keep the heat in the lower part of the house.
It was a fascinating house to shoot: a testament to how our living standards have transformed in the last 50 years, and the traces of an unconventional life. Turner Architects' plans are to turn it into a modern and comfortable family home, while still preserving some of the Victorian elements. I'm really glad we were able to capture this slice of history before it is updated into the twenty-first century.
They don't make wallpaper like they used to
Ground floor workshop
That's a loo roll holder with integrated radio
The darkroom
The spaceship door to the loft rooms
A loft-room ceiling held up by the wiring
