Ao-ft arranges mass-timber house around contours of London plane tree

A tall plane tree forms a focal point for Tree Courtyard House, a home with a cross-laminated timber structure on a backland site in east London by local studio Ao-ft.

Tucked behind Walthamstow Village's main shopping street, the two-bed house is designed to blend into its surroundings with dark brown-brick walls that Ao-ft said "minimise attention".

The 63-square-metre home occupies an L-shaped plan at the north of the site, previously occupied by a restaurant kitchen...