Cornwall Cottage

The completed works involve uncovering layers of later additions to reveal original beauty, retaining asymmetric openings and uneven wall surfaces in the aim of preserving and celebrating the rich patina of the home. The central architectural intervention to the building includes the demolition of the 1960s extension. The pared-back replacement extension employs an exterior grey facing brick to sympathetically ingrate with the original cottage, interpreting the tone and character of the traditional stonework. A slaister lime pointing was applied to the brick joints to soften and age its appearance, offering a unified visual connection to the adjacent cottage. The same brick treatment is used along the ground plane and perimeter garden walls, continuing a solid, monolithic quality across the site. Deep window and door reveals, and oversized brick columns provide a sense of weight and sturdiness associated with vernacular buildings. A slate parapet coping is used in a continuation from the original window sills, while exposed concrete lintels on the extension reflect the adjacent green oak lintels. The project is a rational solution for a confused home, finding clarity through examination of the historic fabric to reveal original spaces while retaining the inherent character and patina of the architecture. This is something that cannot be introduced, only found.