Design at Source were commissioned to develop this existing two, double bedroom and two, single bedroom house.
The client wished to convert this property into a five, double bedroom property, complete with open plan kitchen/diner, utility room, formal dining room, lounge, study and games room.
The property had a typical, early 70’s vernacular with London brick walls, cement tile frontage and white windows. The property commanded a high elevation, with the front of the property, overlooking the valley below. However, this was blocked by a single storey garage, attached to the building.
The team set about re-orientating the house, maximising the stunning views of the valley, while maintaining a good flow between the internal rooms. Retaining and knocking through into the adjacent room, the new kitchen provided the centre piece of the ground floor.
The garage was demolished, replaced by a new large, two-storey extension, commanding great views of the valley. The massing of the new build, took into account the heavily, sloping site, with the extension stepping up with the contours of the plot. This massing started with the single storey garage. The garage, flat roof served as a green roof and terrace, taking advantage of the valley views. A two-storey extension was set behind this, with the second storey stepping back to form a bedroom balcony.
To create visual drama to the internal space, the existing first floor was cut back from the existing façade, to form a galleried landing, linking newly defined double bedrooms and allowing a new double height window to look out over the valley below.
A new vertical rhythm was incorporated within the architecture to carefully link all of these aspects together. While still paying homage to the building’s original architectural style, timber panels and rendered sections were applied to the building. This architectural, linear rhythm was further highlighted by the use of up and down lighters, grazing the building’s facade.
New landscaping reflected the building’s design, with linear paths and rectangular paving, framing formal lawns and beds.