For Sale: A Hidden House With Three Courtyards In East London

Check out the sales listing here: themodernhouse...
When Charles Wu, a director at architecture studio Polysmiths, came to build his contemporary three-bedroom home during the pandemic, he faced a problem: conventional building materials, including concrete and plasterboard, were in short supply. Charles consequently seized the chance to work with more natural alternatives, including Douglas fir and cork. As the house comes on the market, Charles marvels at the magic of its fabric in our Open House film.
Filming and Editing: Edmund Cook
Production: Hannah Phillips
Graphic Design: Tom Young
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[@themodernhouse_films]

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[@valeriadelrio-rodriguez4953]

This house is so beautiful that I was getting teary eyed. The cork screw idea was such an amazing idea! Added to the dark and movie while adding so much texture into the space. The hints of contrast he added in the furniture and just all the juxtaposition is just beautiful

[@annalinder.visualpoet]

This house seems like pure bliss to me. Tranquil, calming and serene. The color scheme and materials are harmonious and just beautiful. And the shadow play - a home need to have lots of it.

[@laurentivoli1183]

The kitchen scene is lovely, particularly like the brass cabinets with bitter chocolate cork together.

[@tbmike23]

Excellent contrasts in color and texture, and closed and open spaces. So many modern spaces are boring, blank, unimaginative, and soulless, but this clearly shows they can be warm, interesting, thoughtful, and beautiful.

[@ance7933]

Beautiful work Charles. What a blissful and serene place to call home.

[@startpage717]

A desire for SOLITUDE, Truth and PRECIOUS...Love...

[@karenharvey2549]

A very calming and tranquil space.

[@laurapearson3370]

Has the feel of an underground bunker, very claustrophobic and austere

[@darlenechandler2403]

I was thinking the same thing. Living underground, might be real dreary in the winter when it is dark a lot and patio doors have to be closed.

[@GeorgeNicola]

the cinematography style is amazing, thank you Modern house

[@srwla2501]

This is great work. Even though the kitchen is dark, loved the open dining area.

[@ashleykarenroy87]

Gorgeous, and what beautiful commentary. Thank you for creating and sharing.

[@michaelabell1979]

Such a beautiful home .so tranquil and spacious .colours are amazing

[@stone301]

It’s very beautiful and interesting work. I just find it is a bit too austere and one dimensional for my tastes but I love the attention to detail and emphasis of sensory details to inspire alertness. Great work mr. wu!

[@christianeduardo1]

This videos are pure bliss 😊

[@cocobololocoloco]

Excellent colours and material palette.

[@velyvely6479]

lovely home, the cork works really well and the kitchen and ceiling beams are beautiful, only thing that bothered me was the line that runs between where the wall and floor meets, i really wanted to touch it up so it was neat, i feel that it is a distraction in such a neat space

[@akiikisandra8983]

So beautiful 😍, love this space

[@learnwithjahsun]

LOVE EVERY PIECE OF THIS SACRED SPACE ~

[@glenlu277]

Gorgeous. I love the interplay of light/shadows with the different materials. PPL who say it's like a prison, have clearly not spent much time inside ... not at all the same vibe, sense of serenity and calm. Anyway you might share what is the material on the bathroom walls? Don't think it's that wonderful cork?!

[@incinurozbiyik5779]

Dark and cluttered yet bravely presented.

[@OrendaDesignStudio]

Amazing concept 😍😍😍.

[@andreelliott467]

The bedroom is ideal for the taste of what I express a room to be like to a home.

[@mygoodmanna]

I like!

[@MAYK1NG]

I can't believe we didn't get to see the other floors!

[@spanishjohn420]

im going do the cork walls in my flat it looks like concrete

[@thewaythingsare8158]

I think I might want to open an artery after a month there

[@donnaallgaier-lamberti3933]

What does rain/moisture do to cork?

[@alexchancock]

The obilgatory MH scene; sitting in an uncomfortable chair reading a book

[@charliechang3744]

CH25 Easy Chair by Carl Hansen & Søn is far from an uncomfortable chair

[@laurapearson3370]

😂😂

[@Boneyardbell]

Lovely ❤️

[@londonspeedway]

Can anyone tell me what timber is used for the beams? Anyone recommend a supplier for timber outside of regular construction timber?

[@darlenechandler2403]

I think Douglas Fur

[@ImNotFreddie]

Ok im interested, how much you want for it? I can PayPal it if you want

[@frenchgrama]

This house appears very dark to me - I notice that a lot of English homes like dark colours which is incomprehensible to me considering that it's often overcast in the UK so you would imagine that they'd want their homes to be as light and inviting as possible, just like the Scandinavian homes which you could nest in. I'm one of those people that find dark interiors cold and very depressing and definitely NOT cosy...

[@luzelenacervantes5680]

Is it for sale? The price please?

[@tomatostellar]

This house is pure art! But as a mom of a toddler I know this can only be a dream for us

[@idilmedia]

this house is beautiful but all of the super open homes on this channel always have hotel/villa vibes to me. id constantly feel like im trespassing if i lived there!

[@kenmarten6049]

Gloomy and oppressive! This style is more suited to tropical countries but not the UK, which is subject to gloomy overcast days. This house would trigger SAD in just about anyone at any time of the year!

[@Olivia-bh7vs]

I agree, the weather of your location is a factor worth considering for sure.

[@Douglas.N.]

I too, prefer my bedroom to be dark.

[@mlc2158]

😍

[@martinMcSt]

Lovely, yet must be very expensive since its East London (presume 2-3 zone) also, too dark for me. I would love this house somewhere bright and airy like Spain or Italy even South America to get more natural light inside.

[@lornamarie5544]

Why on some of these house tours do people feel the need to chat so much naval gazing sh/te, I think I prefer an instrumental background. That being said it’s a nice place.

[@herbolario2694]

I think he's scorpio.

[@teresaoconnor9188]

Not a single window with a view, a connection to the outside beyond? Insufferable.

[@allnighterist]

Looks dead solemn cold place to live in

[@anonnymous4684]

I wonder why he's selling so soon? Can't have been finished for more than a year....

[@paulmulhern1096]

It was built as a development to sell on for profit...

[@yeowchongong5608]

Is East London bad neighbourhood? Unsafe?

[@laurapearson3370]

Yes, unfortunately

[@yeowchongong5608]

@@laurapearson3370 ohhh thanks!

[@MTMF.london]

@@laurapearson3370 No, it isn't.

[@mattb0519]

It depends on your luck

[@anonnymous4684]

No more so than any other large city. I've lived here for nearly 20 years without an issue. It's very gentrified in parts, but poor pockets remain. People get mugged in Kensington and Chelsea but most would say that's a 'good' area. So....

[@hirka86]

the style is good but the house is as dark as a coffin. And I think, even if he used white paint for interior walls, It would still be dark and gloomy. The problem is the architectural design approach not the interior.. and here he is selling the house :D

[@MTMF.london]

It's not to everybody's taste but it looks calm and far away from East London's hustle and bustle, which is a good thing.

[@icecreamforever]

Somewhat pretentious.

[@mariehartmann8182]

the surrounding walls are hugging you? claustrofobic more likely. to me it seems like a prison. sorry.

[@esterhudson5104]

😂

[@deecunningham9719]

If only prisons were so pretty, but actually they are a lot of dingy white box rooms.

[@andgo1400]

dark and moody and not in a good way.

[@mikewingert-savagelyerudite]

TE Lawrence used cork on his interiors in the 1930’s at Clouds Hill……nothing new here. It all looks very pretentious indeed.

[@esterhudson5104]

Why sell so soon? Is this a flip? Let me guess, he’s gonna be ruralist now..

[@irampotter]

Because the house is corked.

[@ernestinehemingway7799]

@@irampotter well he did say the cork has a distinctive smell

[@mattb0519]

@@ernestinehemingway7799 like that bottle of wine I last opened ... it smelled like cork

[@kitsburrard5530]

Many things to like in the design but the garden looks perfunctory. Not a garden by someone who loves plants. And I don’t want to feel isolated from the community. Why is he rejecting the neighbourhood?