The Castlands Road house is a three-bedroom family residence in Lewisham, London, designed and self-built by Bricolage founder Will Howard and Sogand Howard on a back-garden site behind a Victorian terrace. Constructed with salvaged bricks and exposed structural clay blocks, the home references the area's self-build heritage while adopting contemporary details including an asymmetric gable roof, pale green window frames, timber awnings, and cast concrete lintels. White brick side walls were designed to accommodate potential neighboring self-build homes in the future.
The interior follows the site's natural slope, stepping from a front dining area through a central kitchen to a living room that opens onto the garden through folding glass doors. Dark paved flooring extends across the ground floor and continues into the outdoor spaces, while British larch ceilings are paired with oak and plywood joinery, much of it handcrafted by the owners. The exposed clay block walls are finished with a protective parge coat, reinforcing the home's material palette while supporting its low-energy construction approach.
Image Credit: Will Howard
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Salvaged Material Homes
- Reclaimed brick and exposed clay blocks signal a growing market for residential design that combines low-carbon construction with distinctive local character.
- Urban Self-build Housing
- Back-garden plots and compact infill sites are creating new pathways for architect-led families to produce customized homes within dense city neighborhoods.
- Low-energy Craft Interiors
- Handcrafted timber joinery, exposed structural finishes, and passive material strategies are redefining sustainable homes as both efficient and highly personal spaces.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Residential Architecture
- Small-scale urban projects are expanding demand for homes that balance heritage context, energy performance, and adaptable neighborhood growth.
- Sustainable Construction
- The use of salvaged masonry and simple low-energy assemblies highlights opportunities for builders to reduce embodied carbon without sacrificing design quality.
- Building Materials
- Clay blocks, reclaimed bricks, timber, and protective mineral finishes are gaining relevance as practical materials for durable and environmentally conscious housing.
