Coffey Architects

'In an instant the television scrolls off, the lights go out and the sound of the electric meter clunks off. All is quiet. 50p is retrieved from the pile next to grandma’s chair and a young child fumbles to the door, down the hall, under the stairs and searches for the coin slot. As the coin drops, light and life returns to the house. The family talked about the cost of energy. No lights were needlessly left on in this house .' Memories of council estate, Runcorn.

A small studio, Islington, the council authorities would not allow the movement of the gas meter and pipe from its location. The design spins around the exposed gas meter to create the internal spaces. Occasionally when the resident hosts a dinner party the initial talking point is likely to be the gas meter, energy use and sustainability and perhaps they too will be less likely to leave a light on.

The exposure of the energy meter in the home ensures residents associate themselves directly with the cost of energy.