This prefabricated garden hideaway in suburban London acts as a guest house as well as a home office, and is clad in planks of cedar wood.

The garden studio by Ecospace Studios was assembled off-site in just one week before being delivered to its location in Surbiton, where the finishing touches were put in place.

The practice, which was founded by architects Amira Idris Town, Lee Town and Matthew Kettle from London-based IPT Architects, specialises in prefabricated and modular buildings that can be adapted to create personalised studios or homes.

"One of Ecospaces' great strengths is the fact they are modular and endlessly configurable," said the architects, "with add-on options ranging from workstations and shelving to underfloor heating and – for extra eco and aesthetic benefits – sedum-planted living roofs."

The 50-square-metre space they created in Surbiton is situated at bottom of the garden and accommodates a bedroom, kitchen, two lounge areas and an office space that allows the clients to work from home and host guests.

The ceiling slopes up above the kitchen and office to create a double-height space for a mezzanine lounge accessed by a ladder.

While sustainably sourced cedar clads the exterior, birchwood panels line the interior and a seamless recyclable rubber floor runs throughout to create a a uniform appearance for the open-plan space.

"We believe in the longevity of sustainable natural materials," said the architects. "For us, it's how we use such materials in an innovative way."

A raised decking area stretches across the front of the timber structure and can be accessed via sliding glazing in the lounge and bedroom.

Ecospace Studios has adapted its modular system to create an extensive portfolio of holiday retreats, schools and bespoke studios. The prefabricated buildings can be assembled in as little as five days and have a life expectancy of up to 60 years.

The studio previously designed a wooden pavilion for the V&A Museum of Childhood in London.

Both prefabricated buildings and garden studios feature in our review of the biggest architecture trends of 2016.

Other examples of garden retreats include a micro studio in Brooklyn by American architect Nicholas Hunt and a cork-clad garden workshop in London by Surman Weston.

Photography is by Ben Benoliel.