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Architects: Magri Williams Architects
- Area: 145 m²
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Nicolas Worley
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Manufacturers: Clayworks, Domus Tiles, Maxlight, Petersen Tegl, Steyson
Text description provided by the architects. The project comprises of a rear extension, loft conversion, and complete house refurbishment. In its basic form, the client’s brief was to enlarge the ground floor and provide an additional bedroom.
The existing terrace house was a London stock brick with a rear outrigger that stepped in form. In reference, the new ground floor extension is staggered, continuing the established rhythm and internally, defining the kitchen and dining area. At the second floor, the loft was converted to provide an additional bedroom with en-suite.
At the ground floor, the original hallway was reinstated to divide the entrance hall and living rooms. Whilst this reduced the size of the existing living room, it nurtured the domesticity of the space, creating a more intimate lounge. In contrast, the ground floor extension provides a large open plan living, kitchen and dining room. A level change and half height plywood joinery wall divides the space, maintaining a visual connection whilst defining different living areas. A new plywood staircase joins the three floors with a large skylight above that draws light through the house.
Architects View - Key feature
At Roslyn Road, the existing terrace house was a Victorian property made from London Stock brick. We felt the brick was the most important material of the existing and epitomizes the London terrace.
Taking the brick back to its elemental form, it has three repeated faces. We wanted to express this in the extension. As such, the brick is laid in the same orientation to allow each face to be revealed as the building steps. The end face is expressed in the rear elevation; the side face in the stepped form; and the top face is rotated in the header detail.
Internally, the tones of the external brick were examined to create the supporting material palette. The walls are finished with a light clay. The floor in the extension transitions from an ash white polished concrete to a white square tile at the existing threshold, naturally arranged in a stack pattern. The tiles consist of a palette of many shades, creating variation and tonal composition, echoing the natural variation in the rear brick elevation. As a last material, Plywood has been used in the kitchen, joinery, and staircase to add warmth and softness to the house.
