David Adjaye's Lost House in King's Cross, London

Is it me, or did things just get sexy? This dark, sleek and brooding space is punctured by light wells and illuminated by bright bursts of colour. No this isn’t a nightclub (although how cool would that be?), it’s a private residence designed by the inimitable David Adjaye.

Completed in 2004, Lost House in London’s Kings Cross is sited in an old alley, parking strip and a drive-through yard. Within the envelope of the parking strip are two bedrooms and a sunken cinema. A platform supports the concrete basin of a lap pool and the living space occupies the rest of the yard.

Built within a challenging site, there is only one external window in the entire home, and it is in a study room. The main spaces are instead lit by three light wells that run through the central living area and kitchen.

“To bring light into the deep section, the roof is punctuated by…courtyards and several roof lights, and the wall between the living space and the bedrooms includes a number of slit windows, which filter natural light in one direction and artificial light in the other,” elaborates Adjaye.

The medley of materials in Lost House highlight contrasting qualities of rough and smooth, light and dark, as well as raw and polished. Chipboard, painted timber, resin floors, raw concrete and smooth leather mingle side-by-side revealing an array of textures and tones. As you peel away the darker layers of the living spaces, there are surprising moments of colour including the pastel-painted bedrooms and the sunken cinema which is awash with the most energetic shade of green.

“When we’re on our own we tend to spend time in the cinema room because of softer textiles and the sunken seating”, explains the home’s lucky owner, Jessica Robinson. “It was all very carefully considered and the green is really vibrant while the pastel tones in the bedrooms are more calming.”

Adjaye is a master at manipulating light and with Lost House, he has expertly teased out the poignant qualities of both light and darkness. Moreover, the addition of reflective materials and artificial light further enhance this dynamic. This clever interplay of natural and artificial light illicit moments of dark, deep calm and vibrant, colourful intensity.

Hats off to this one-of-a-kind home that’s way ahead of its time!