Vulcan Terrace Loft

The planning constraints limited the size of the dormer and prevented alterations to the street elevation. Flipping the existing stairs and adding a flight above allowed to optimize floor space and head-height in the loft. This brought the opportunity to improve the layout of the small dining area downstairs, insulate the suspended timber floor and lay a cork floor. A simple zinc-clad dormer with chamfered reveals was added on the garden roof slope to provide an adequate volume to the loft. A planter was integrated to the external window sill, the vegetation is used to screen the views through and compensates for a very small garden. This project was designed with materiality and sustainability in mind. No steelwork was used, the new roof and dormer structures rely exclusively on existing and new timbers to minimize the carbon footprint of the project. Wood fiber insulation was used throughout including as bonded to the existing brickwork to insulate the gables. To optimize costs and speed-up the works on site, lime plaster was directly applied to the wood fiber boards on the gables. Lime plaster is hygroscopic, it contributes to the regulation of the humidity levels and the overall indoor air quality. The other surfaces have been lined with a poplar plywood which is made with a formaldehyde-free soy-based glue. White linseed oil protects the panels. The cork flooring is used at this level too, while the same plywood dresses the storage under the stairs in the dining room. The consistent material palette brings a visual continuity between the levels. Grey painted stairs and their simple white balustrade act as a ribbon connecting the levels and filtering light from the new skylight at the top.