CATEGORY: Residential

SIZE: 265m2

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The clients inherited a late Victorian, end-of-terrace house with a tiny garden and forecourt on an acute-angled site in southwest London. They approached Volume 3 to design a house that was to be a reflection of their modern lifestyles and the result delivered a large garden with a separate garage and a contemporary extension to the house.

This project involved the enlargement and reconfiguration of the kitchen and living areas to maximize the visual and spatial link to the now-larger garden. Elements have been carefully articulated, such as the concrete roof-slab or the frameless glass opening on the existing building elevation, to create understated gestures that are at the same time in harmony with the conservation area. The project approach sought to enrich the existing vernacular rather than attempting to reduce or rationalise it. Despite the increase of volume while utilizing large portions of full-height glazing, the project achieves lower energy bills than before the renovation. This is due to the use of innovative materials such as insulated wood concrete blockwork and the implementation of sustainable techniques such as utilizing the concrete roof-slab as a thermal store. Volume 3 provided a turn-key project delivery with their sister construction company, Dal Riva, at two-thirds of the surveyor’s original estimate.