Dome House by Roberto Di Donato Architecture
A restrained and meditative intervention into a London Victorian terrace, Dome House by Roberto Di Donato Architecture rethinks the rhythm of traditional domestic life.
Guided by a desire for simplicity, tactility and light, the project brings about a quiet transformation that balances the formality of heritage with a deeply personal sense of calm.
The home's new internal configuration takes cues from its occupants' daily rituals, creating gentle shifts in atmosphere and use throughout the day. A significant gesture was the decision to locate the main living area at the rear of the house. This reorientation establishes a visual and spatial connection to the garden, crafting a tranquil zone that feels deliberately detached from the street's urban tempo. "The aim was to create a retreat at the back of the home something serene, quiet, almost meditative," reflects Roberto Di Donato.
Conversely, the kitchen now occupies the front of the house, a deliberate inversion that fosters interaction with the neighbourhood while maintaining practical access to the central staircase. Between these two anchor points lies a transitional volume: a gathering space marked by a sculptural fireplace and a soft, upward-bending ceiling. This gesture leads the eye and the body towards the new rear extension, where the project finds its architectural and emotional centre.
Here, the namesake dome takes form. A curved ceiling capped by an asymmetric circular skylight defines the volume, bringing natural light deep into the plan while addressing planning limitations at the periphery. "It's not just about aesthetics," Di Donato notes. "The dome allowed us to increase ceiling height centrally, without compromising neighbours or overshadowing." Within this softly curved room, light, shadow, and acoustic stillness coalesce into a sensorial experience that feels both intimate and expansive.
Throughout the house, the material language is equally considered. Warm clay plastered walls bring subtle movement and an earthen tactility to each room, gently diffusing natural light. Oak is used generously across floors, handrails, and joinery, grounding the interiors in warmth. In contrast to these softer elements, the fireplace and exterior brickwork introduce an anchoring robustness in tones drawn directly from the surrounding earth. "We chose materials that aren't loud, but they speak through texture, temperature, and time," says Di Donato.
This sensitivity extends outdoors, where the rear garden retains its existing vegetation. A green roof atop the extension further integrates the architecture into its setting, reducing visual bulk while amplifying the project's biophilic intent.
Founded in London in 2014, Roberto Di Donato Architecture operates between the UK and Europe with studios in both London and Italy. The practice is fluent across cultural contexts, having delivered projects in the UK, Italy, Spain and South America. Their approach resists design for its own sake instead, they view architecture as a strategy-driven process, where form emerges from a meaningful engagement with context, brief and client. As Di Donato puts it, "Architecture isn't born from inspiration it's the result of a structured response to a specific need. Our role is to give form to that response in the most thoughtful, efficient, and beautiful way possible."
Dome House is a quiet triumph of that ethos. With modest means and sensitive gestures, the renovation offers a renewed mode of living one that values light, tactility and presence. It's a contemporary home that holds close the past, while looking forward with clarity and care.
