Lavish homes in exotic destinations and far-flung regions are of the norm nowadays. Ditto houses situated on unusual terrain. A modern house that overlooks a cemetery? Not exactly the most common of sightings, I think we can agree. Set within the 1839 Highgate Cemetery in London is the contemporary concrete-and-glass house by Nick Eldridge and Piers Smerin of the firm Eldridge Smerin, which makes a bold (and daring) visual statement next to the historic Victorian burial ground.

The original house was designed in 1970 by John Winter, and the homeowner had approached Eldridge and Smerin after seeing another house that the duo had designed nearby. It was a grand undertaking to work on a John Winter house, but Eldridge and Smerin took on the project nonetheless, and the result is the current generously sized four-story structure.

The pavilionlike building features spacious bedrooms, living areas, and a kitchen along with balconies, terraces, and a massive sliding glass skylight that opens to expose the top floor.

The house’s street façade is sheathed in black granite, translucent glass, and black steel panels, maintaining a certain degree of privacy and discreetness, while the rear of the building features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer open views of the cemetery at all times. There is an emphasis on loft-style living that is also reflected in the home’s repetition of mirrored surfaces and streamlined furnishings.

Posted by Sebastien D. at 2 December, 2010

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