Musson Brown Architects and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman complete "flatpack" Newcastle home

Home by Musson Brown Architects and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman

UK studios Musson Brown Architects and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman have completed a courtyard home in Newcastle, which was constructed using a prefabricated structure of cross-laminated timber.

Located in the Newcastle suburb of Jesmond, the 420-square-metre home was designed for a retired couple who wanted a peaceful retreat from the city, which informed a U-shaped layout enclosing a green courtyard.

Replacing a derelict 1980s building on the site, Musson Brown Architects and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman (MCM) designed the home with a "flatpack" cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure, which was fabricated off-site in order to minimise waste, construction time and carbon emissions.

Exterior view of Newcastle home by Musson Brown Architects and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman — Musson Brown Architects and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman have completed a cross-laminated timber home in Newcastle

"This project integrated a 'flatpack' approach, which involved using a cross-laminated timber structure that was precision-manufactured off-site and assembled on location," Musson Brown architects founder George Musson told Dezeen.

"While this required extensive preparation at the technical design stage, it was incredibly satisfying to see it come together to form a cohesive structure."

The simple, rectilinear volumes of the home were then finished in a palette of red brickwork, weathered steel and glass, in a contemporary take on the Edwardian architecture that defines the surrounding neighbourhood.

Home in Newcastle — It is finished in a palette of red brickwork, weathered steel and glass

"The opportunity lay in rethinking the site entirely, transforming a poorly performing structure into a coherent, high-performing home that enhances both its immediate setting and wider context," the studios told Dezeen.

"The design is organised around a courtyard, establishing a spatial and environmental anchor that brings light, landscape and ventilation deep into the plan," they added.

Home interior by Musson Brown Architects and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman — The living spaces overlook the central courtyard

The home's living, dining and kitchen area overlooks the central courtyard through full-height windows and sliding doors, which open out onto a paved patio beneath a timber pergola.

On either side, two wings contain a double-height entrance foyer, snug and study to the east and two bedrooms and a gym to the west, with both also having access onto the courtyard.

The main bedroom suite and dressing room is positioned on the home's smaller first floor, where a short glazed link passes a rooftop terrace to connect with an additional bedroom and utility space.

With aging-in-place in mind, the home's ground floor was made fully accessible, and a lift created alongside the study to the north of the home.

The red brickwork of the home's exterior is complemented by elements in weathered steel, which was also used to cloak a rooftop plant room.

Dining space within British home — White surfaces and pale timber floors define the interior

Inside, white surfaces and pale timber floors contribute to what the studios described as a "deliberately restrained" palette, with fittings that focus on flexibility and longevity.

“Clean lines and an abundance of glass were used throughout to seamlessly connect the property to its tranquil courtyard garden," Musson said.

"High ceilings and open-plan rooms invoke a calming energy which is mirrored in the solid wooden floors and Scandinavian-inspired furnishings," he added.