The practice has recently gained planning permission for a contemporary extension to a ‘two-up, two-down’ terraced house on a prominent corner site within the Colbrooke Row / Duncan Terrace Conservation area. The new extension respects the character of the area by leaving the existing cottage intact, retaining the ‘garden wall’ and proposing a building of our time.

Both envelope and structure are set back from the street elevation and garden wall, employing glazed slots that serve to lift and separate; intentionally ‘detaching’ the extension from the existing fabric. A white ‘weightless’ box above the solid wall below, the cementitious cladding panels are selected to contrast with the existing brick. The panels are sized and orientated to provide continuity with adjacent building lines and forms.

An intimate bay window seat lined with timber internally addresses the street, following the rhythm and scale of the terrace openings, whilst the large picture window frames the long view down Duncan terrace. The amenity space of the courtyard is maintained as the roof terrace on top of the extension provides an equally private external space with expansive views.