As a young couple, our clients needed a house that would be future-proof and able to adapt with them over time. The aim was to improve the functionality of previously awkward and underused spaces, and the project features a new rear extension, a reconfigured and more flexible ground floor, and a renovated first floor.
When reshuffling spaces, maintaining a relationship with the outside is always important, and taking the lead from our client, we were eager to open the house up to views of the garden as well as a view of the sky. Communal spaces such as the dining and kitchen area, as well as being places to cook and eat, are places to work, rest and converse in comfort.
As always, handmade and hardwearing materials are integral to our ethos as a practice, and we used renewable materials as much as possible, with an exposed timber structure helping to form elements in the space. Stone, timber and tile give a sense of warmth throughout and translate to landscaped areas outside.
Given the location and detachment of the house from the adjacent house, we were excited to adorn the existing architecture with something that would provide a balance between impactful and gentle. Most importantly, it would be a space which could evolve and grow with the client over time.