Barn-like structure with minimal rooflights, hinting at hidden features below.

Subterranean Marvel: Stylus Architects Carves a 175 sqm Home Into Putney Heath’s Depths

2026-06-15

Green Lodge by Stylus Architects redefines residential architecture by being an almost fully subterranean home that still enjoys abundant natural light. Nestled on a challenging plot on the edge of Putney Heath in South West London, this architectural marvel lies discreetly among Gothic Revival churches and Victorian villas. With a remarkable 175 square meters of space beneath the ground, the home announces itself with little more than a larch-clad facade and an asymmetric vaulted roof.

Embracing a unique brief

The project began when a contractor client gave the firm complete creative freedom with just one demand: complete it quickly. The solution emerged by going underground, creating a spacious yet discreet home that met planning constraints while maximizing space.

View of rooflights cutting into pitched roof, revealing subterranean level. — Two rooflights cut into the pitch — the subterranean section made legible from inside.

A harmonious design ethos

The home employs two fair-faced concrete spine walls running from the basement to the roof, dividing it into three bays. Exposed concrete, wooden joinery, and a focus on geometric precision define its aesthetics. The golden ratio subtly guides decisions, creating a harmonious environment that feels instinctively well-composed.

Garden lowered to meet underground floor, serving as main entrance. — The garden drops to match the lower floor — a planning constraint converted into the main arrival sequence.

Ingenious lighting solutions

Lighting, both natural and artificial, plays a pivotal role. A large rooflight above the staircase channels daylight into the basement, while south-facing lightwells brighten subterranean rooms and form part of the home’s passive thermal design. These strategies contribute to an EPC B rating, embedding sustainability at its core.

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Rooflight framing tree canopy above kitchen, integrating nature with design. — The rooflight frames the oak canopy above — the kitchen operates directly beneath a living tree.

Material continuity

Larch covers the structure entirely, blending the home with its natural surroundings. Over time, the timber will weather and change, uniting the house further with the wooded backdrop, much like the earth-sheltered designs seen in Mimosa Architects’ projects.

Staircase landing between library and daylight, highlighting movement as space. — The staircase lands between library and daylight — movement treated as inhabited space, not corridor.

Functional and artful interiors

The interior is a masterpiece of joinery and design, thanks to Cast London Joinery and Caelix Fabrications. Built-in furniture seamlessly fits into the spatial grid, with bespoke artwork by lead architect Matthew Withers adding a personal touch. This meticulous attention to design has profoundly transformed the homeowner’s lifestyle.

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Window showcasing cedar fence, reflecting materials used inside and outside. — The window frames the cedar fence outside — interior and exterior material palette in deliberate echo.

The power of trust and vision

Green Lodge exemplifies what’s possible when an architect operates with genuine trust and freedom, producing a home that’s both ingeniously resolved and deeply personal. The project highlights how small practices can craft ground-breaking work beneath the radar, where a singular vision guides the entire process.

Situated in Roehampton Village, South West London and projected to complete in 2025, Green Lodge embraces materials like larch cladding, fair-faced concrete, and engineered oak, showcasing the excellence achievable by empowered creativity.