A giant Japanese Acer beautifully punctuates the front garden of this semi-detached Victorian villa in Primrose Hill, its elegant yet traditional façade belying the dramatic, contemporary brilliance that lies within. Arranged across four principal levels, with five bedrooms and three reception rooms, the house extends to almost 3,200 sq ft overall, with a large private garden at the rear. An exemplary marriage of material, scale and light, it was designed to critical acclaim by the architect Jamie Fobert and was shortlisted in 2007 for the Manser Medal, the RIBA London Award and for the Stephen Lawrence Prize.