A nurse working at St Thomas’ Hospital wanted a home gym within walking distance of her workplace so she could train before or after shifts without a detour. She lives in a ground-floor conversion of a Victorian terraced house on Tyers Street, with sole use of a small but private walled rear garden. The plot was just 8 metres deep, so we designed a compact 3.5m x 3m build that fits neatly into the far corner, still leaving room for a small table and chairs by the back door.

Inside, we installed high-density rubber matting, a fold-away wall bench, a kettlebell rack, a TRX suspension trainer, and a wall-mounted screen for workout videos. A single large window and a roof light keep the space bright without sacrificing wall area for equipment. We finished the exterior in smooth fibre cement panels in a warm grey tone to complement the London stock brick garden walls.

She told us the gym has been invaluable. After a twelve-hour shift, the last thing she wants is to commute to a gym, but having one fifteen seconds from her back door means she actually uses it regularly. The compact design proved that a small garden does not mean you have to compromise on quality, and her landlord was so impressed he has asked us about installing garden offices in two other properties he owns near Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.

A senior policy adviser living in a three-storey Georgian conversion on Jonathan Street needed a garden office for the days she works from home. The main house has high ceilings and elegant rooms but nowhere quiet enough for sustained concentration with a toddler in residence. Her rear garden was a walled courtyard of around 7 metres by 5 metres, and we installed a Midi at 4m x 3m along the back wall, leaving a generous paved area for outdoor dining.

The office was fitted with a built-in desk along the window wall, bespoke shelving for policy documents and reference books, and enhanced acoustic insulation to block noise from the neighbouring gardens and the railway line that runs behind. Underfloor heating keeps the space comfortable without wall-mounted radiators, and a dedicated ethernet line from the house ensures reliable video conferencing. The exterior was finished in painted timber cladding in a heritage green that suits the period setting.

She told us the garden office has made her home working days genuinely productive for the first time. The physical separation from the house creates a clear boundary between work and family life, and the quality of the space impressed colleagues during a recent team visit. She walks past Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens on her way to the station on office days and says the contrast with her serene garden workspace makes her appreciate both.