Project Description
The brief for this project was to design a new single storey rear extension to the existing semi-detached house in order to create an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space which better connected to the garden. In addition a new detached garden office with en-suite was to be included adjacent the new extension as a replacement to the existing garage.
The extension and garden office have been designed to compliment one another and work holistically rather than as separate structures. The form, scale and aesthetic are the similar so the two elements have a connection between one another and with the garden. It is very much a contemporary extension and purposefully is in contrast to the early 20th Century brick house. Using white render, vertical timber cladding and large sections of glazing, the modern look provides a crisp and clean response to the domestic setting but one which positively responds to the context and benefits the house as a whole.
Overall the project has provided the client with the space they needed in a well designed and attractive modern extension. Internally the new layout has changed the way the family use their home and has created a much needed family space at the rear which overlooks the garden and benefits from high levels of natural light. This means they spend more time together and can also use the space to host various events. Externally the design provides a distinctive modern addition to a typical semi-detached house which benefits the garden and improves the connection between inside and out.
Whilst the brief may have been fairly typical of many clients wanting to extend their home, the design is anything but standard and has provided the family with a unique and highly distance piece of modern architecture which they can be proud of. It works exactly as planned from both a spatial point of view and a building performance perspective and is an example of how contemporary design can work in traditional domestic settings and exceed the client’s original expectations.