Refurbishment of this Victorian terraced house in Newington Green, Aden Grove, addresses familiar London housing challenges - limited daylight, fragmented internal layouts, and the need to adapt an older existing house for modern family life.
Designed for a young family, the project creates more space for living and entertaining while strengthening the connection between the existing house and garden. A rear extension and a new roof storey are introduced together as a single addition, which helps the character of the existing building.
The original house had been altered over time, resulting in a disjointed layout and the loss of many period features. The ground floor being particularly constrained, divided into narrow rooms that limited daylight and views through the house. The project opens up this level, combining the former reception rooms into a single living space directly connected to the new kitchen and dining area. A full-width rear extension introduces a combination of glazing design and a large skylight to illuminate the living spaces.
The ground-floor extension spans the full width of the site and opens onto the garden. At its outer edge, a sliding window reinterprets the traditional bay, incorporating a deep window seat and framing wide views outside. Terracotta tile cladding gives the extension a clear identity – respectful of the area’s material palette whilst providing a contemporary and robustly detailed weathering structure. Combine this with landscaping and built-in planters that extend from the facade, the boundaries of inside and out are beautifully blurred.
The former butterfly roof has been converted into a mansard, creating a full additional storey. The structural challenge here was to reuse the existing timber construction to accommodate a main bedroom suite, with an ensuite bathroom and access to a roof terrace. The roof extension mirrors the rear addition in form and material, reinforcing the idea of the two interventions as a pair.
Environmental upgrades include upgraded insulation throughout the house, an air source heat pump and an intelligent heating system – these address questions about the building’s lifetime performance. This is enabled by a well designed steel and timber framed envelope. These measures improve comfort and reduce operational energy use, supporting the long-term performance of the home.