Michael Craig-Martin is one of the best known artists and educators in Britain today. His former studio and home in NW5 was one of the first domestic projects of the acclaimed contemporary architect John Pawson. The original building is believed to have been a brewery for the adjacent pub.

A classic piece of small-scale industrial architecture, the main space is primarily lit by a lantern of clerestory windows, leaving the exceptionally high walls on three sides completely unbroken, perfect for an artist’s studio.

Pawson inverted the traditional mezzanine arrangement by placing the accommodation on the lower ground floor, including a kitchen area at the foot of the precipitous staircase, a double bedroom, a dressing area and an open shower. This arrangement freed up the main floor to be as expansive and flexible as possible.

Photography: French + Tye

Our From the Archive series takes excerpts and images from ‘The Modern House‘ by Jonathan Bell, Matt Gibberd and Albert Hill – a publication written and produced to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Produced in 2015, this book offers our own distinctive snapshot of what it means to live in a modern way in Britain.