Coral Court

Through stripping out the rear spaces of the house (from the front room back), we were able to re-imagine the ground floor living, creating spaces that connected and overlapped to great effect. Whilst the spaces are individually modest in size, the relationships between them ensure everyone can be seen from the new focal point of the house (the kitchen). This not only ties together the internal spaces but also brings the garden into feeling like another room within the house such is the strong connection between inside and outside with the oversized openings, exposed timber joists and new rooflights. By not adding any volume to the project, we were able to ensure a relatively low carbon scheme, through not demolishing any more than what was absolutely necessary to transform the house, maintaining existing foundations and wall structures meant the project gave consideration to material waste and reuse. In turn this allowed us to be more expressive with the materiality of key components (exposed glulam beams, cement tile facade, timber joinery and a colourful kitchen). The striking coral tones of the rear elevation (paired with a vibrant planting scheme) looked to give the impression of creating a new addition to the property without extending. The new rear elevation, roof and dormer cladding provided a way to layer and express the historic renovations the house has been through without compromising what was already a modest London courtyard style garden.