DA Residence
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North-east view of steel clad loft from Lloyd Park
James Whitaker (website) Download Original
Loft conversion to 1950s Walthamstow 'Warner' flat
The client was clear that any rooftop intervention must offer a unique, yet contextual addition to the generic ‘loft company conversion’, integrating both internally and externally to complement to period and character of original 1950s Warner property. Our task was to create a dedicated master suite with the inclusion of any external terrace space, taking in the uninterrupted views of Lloyd Park (home of The William Morris Gallery), Walthamstow.
Our response was to stack the new internal staircase above the existing, allowing it to twist and follow the external envelope of the newly inverted dormer with the original reinforced concrete stair balustrade extended to provide a continuity between floors. A full-height vertical slot permits glimpses through the tree canopy and out across the park beyond whilst ascending the stairs along with a large rooflight flooding the stairwell with natural light. The new rear dormer features an immaculately detailed, chamfered overhang enveloping an external roof terrace accessed off the master bedroom through full height sliding doors. A unique double-width single sliding door at the upper landing is used to close off either the bedroom or compact en-suite dependent on privacy requirements.
The red concrete roof tiles were retained for budgetary reasons – although not original to the property this, in conjunction with the original red facing brickwork, led us to lean towards a material that patinates and weathers over time allowing it to embed itself into its environment.
Following much research, we settled on the most appropriate material to achieve this aesthetic – weathering steel, also known as ‘Corten®’.
Working with an experienced metalworker we set about detailing the faceted cladding with an experienced metalworker to eliminate all visible fixings to avoid any irregular or concentrated weathering. Each steel panel was folded, installed and adjusted to achieve tight, sharp joints before being finally reinstalled and bonded to a lightweight timber sub-frame.
Upon initial installation, the cladding was raw, natural steel and with increasing exposure to the elements has already weathered to a darker more burnished appearance and as the months’ progress will further darken enabling the new dormer to blend in against the red concrete tiles and deep red brickwork, complementing the aesthetic of the original property.
Data
- Begun: Mar 2017
- Completed: Jul 2017
- Floor area: 95m2
- Sector: Residential
- Total cost: £63,500
- Funding: 60000
- Tender date: Jan 2017
- Procurement: JCT Building Contract for a Home Owner 2015
- Address: 110 Brettenham Road, London, E17 5BA, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: DeDraft
- Client: Duncan Gray and Joanna Kowalczuk
- CDM Co-ordinator and Building Control Inspectors: Act Surveyors
- Contractors : BWP Ltd
- Party wall consultant: FPC Surveyors
- Structural Engineers: Structures Made Easy
- Photographer: Whitaker Studio
Suppliers
- External timber decking supplier: CladCo
- GRP Roofing: Cure-It
- Bathroom tiles: Designworks Tiles
- Aluminium windows and doors: Express Bi-folding doors
- Flat rooflights: Glazing Vision Flushglaze
- Corten Steel Supplier: John Horton
- Internal switches/sockets supplier: Schneider Electric
- Timber flooring supplier: Tradewoods Ltd
- Rooflights: Velux
- Bathroom sanitaryware: West One Bathrooms