Kira & Jonathan's home

With the addition of a side single-storey extension, courtyard patio, and garden studio to create a family home for a couple, their four children, and two dogs. The existing outbuilding in the sideway was demolished and a side single-storey extension was added to create a larger kitchen/dining/living area arranged around an island and a table. ZDB Architects worked closely with structural engineers, Blue Engineering, to develop the roof structure of the extension with only 24 mm thick, but 330 mm deep birch plywood roof joists @ 300 mm closely spaced centres. These joists not only define the space and naturally filter light from the rooflights above, but also form a baffle to prevent overlooking from the upper floors of the side neighbouring house. The joists were emphasised by birch plywood ribs descending the wall to become built-in shelving, a desk, and window surround, to create a home office for Kira in the heart of the house. In the middle of the back garden a studio was added to create a flexible home office for Jonathan/gym/additional living space, with a courtyard patio between it and the house on one side and a secret garden between it and the rear neighbouring house on the other. The garden studio was sunk a few steps down below ground level to nestle it into the garden and to minimise the impact on the existing rear extension and side neighbouring houses. On one side a picture window provides a view across the courtyard patio to the house. On the other side wide sliding glazed doors provide a view up the brick paved steps, through the planting, to the seating area in the secret garden.