An Extra Dimension: The Burton House

Photographs by James O. Davies
Address
36 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3ES
Hours
Mon–Sat 11 am–7 pm

For an architect the opportunity to build your own house is like a gift – one which Richard Burton accepted with enthusiasm. Burton and his wife Mireille modelled The Burton House to reflect the way they lived, expressing and broadening the interpretation of their own family life. They wanted the design to convey the extra dimension which can be achieved when the many aspects of architecture are applied holistically.

“Mireille and I are family people, both with parentage of talented émigrés for whom the family played a binding role. This was a reflected in the collaborative process of making the house – I designed it, together we organised and financed it, and our family, with the help of many colleagues and friends, went on to build and furnish it. Now we live here.”  R. Burton.

In order to be able to share the house, the Burtons have opened the doors to thousands over twenty-five years, particularly via the Open House London event. In the same spirit, Burton has set out to describe their venture through a book produced with photographer James O. Davies, which tells the story of the house and finishes by setting out Burton’s manifesto on housing.

The book An Extra Dimension is available to purchase at the AA Bookshop and all profits raised go to Alzheimer's Research. Richard Burton will be available in the Front Members’ Room to answer questions and sign books 5pm – 7pm daily during the exhibition.