Corner House

This ground floor flat included a poorly insulated and practically unusable conservatory which was draughty in winter and overheated in summer thus restricting the living accommodation to one small room. Our approach was to reconfigure the ground floor accommodation around a new open plan living space, allowing the owners to utilize the full footprint of their property.  The design was to remove the existing conservatory and add a new extension which would seamlessly merge the new with the old and exploit the view and light of the large garden. The new building rationalises the ceiling heights by providing a single slope up towards the garden, giving the feeling of height and drawing the outside in.

The property had the advantage of a side passage which we maximised by designing a glazed corner which could be fully opened to the garden. This again blurred the boundary between inside and out and allowed light to flood the previously dark living area. Two large rooflights also brought light into the depths of the room. We opened up the kitchen and extended it into the living space to improve the connection with the heart of the house.

Lastly we designed a new Summer House to the rear of the garden to replace the existing shed. A single storey garden room containing a living space and storage area is designed to blend with the landscape rather than overpower it. The users can relax in the space with a full view of the garden through the large glass doors.  Over time, the cedar cladding would fade to a silvery grey and ingrain the building into its natural site.