Wedderburn Road

The new extension, which is built almost entirely of glass, is topped with a crisp marble clad canopy which appears to float, allowing a clear view of the rear of the original Arts and Crafts house.

The client asked for an airier, more open space for dining and informal living. In response, Finkernagel Ross designed a delicate and dematerialised enclosure to house a new family kitchen and dining area.

The elegant structure uses structural silicon glazing, a slim-frame sliding screen and frameless roof lights to maximise daylight in the building and blur the distinction between inside and outside space.

The structure consists of the rear wall along the boundary, a steel column set back behind the glazing, and a steel box frame to support the sliding roof light. The internal flooring extends out onto the terrace past flush tracks for the high quality sliding doors. Frameless glazing sits between the existing house and the extension to articulate the new area from the parent building.

As part of this project, the dark former kitchen area was transformed into a John Soane-inspired timber-panelled lounge that creates an effortless transition between the listed building and the modern glass extension.

A high quality palette of materials has been used, including low-iron glass, powder-coated aluminium for the framing of the sliders, Calacatta marble cladding to the canopy, and polished micro concrete for the terrace and internal flooring.

Finkernagel Ross has used contemporary architectural detailing and materials in such a way to complement rather than overwhelm the existing house.

The result is a modest yet timeless and iconic piece of architecture which successfully negotiates the strong character of the exiting building and the complex needs of modern living.