AR Architecture
Brief
Our clients, a middle-aged professional
couple, appointed us to refurbish their
1900s’ ground & first floor maisonette in
Gospel Oak, North-West London with an
objective to provide both spouses with
personal work spaces.
Mrs K, a Japanese graphic artist and
cartoonist, wanted a purpose-designed
studio in lieu of the existing conservatory,
whereas her husband looked forward to his
own office upstairs. They also planned to
renew the main bathroom, upgrade the cellar,
change the joinery and re-decorate the entire
house – all on a very tight budget.
Solution
We aimed to create a harmonious, bright
and transparent space, seamlessly
interconnected with the garden and the sky.
There were, however, a few constraints to
be considered. For planning reasons, the
footprint of the new extension had to match
that of the existing conservatory - just 3.5
x 3m.
The height at the boundary could not
exceed 3m to prevent overshadowing the
neighbours’ garden. The 2m wide North-
facing gap along the other boundary risked
becoming just a dark and damp passage.
48 - www.refurbandrestore.co.uk
To achieve our objective and overcome the
limitations, we arrived at a rather simple but
elegant solution. The studio is comprised
of two volumes. One is a low redwood-
clad cube attached to the boundary wall,
extensively glazed on two sides, with a
frameless corner and a large flat skylight on
the top. Crowning it is the second volume
– a lead-clad, sedum-roofed prism set away
from the boundary, with a West-facing
window taking in the daylight and conveying
it to the passage on the other side. The
raised roof and the window of the second
volume increase the internal height of the
studio and fill it with daylight.
Structurally, the studio is a timber frame
on a raft foundation. All elements were
modelled, optimised and detailed in 3D.
Internally, the studio features an L-shaped
desk with drawers and concealed cable
trays underneath. The third wall is full-width,
full-height bookshelves. Above them, three
plaster-in wall lights illuminate the sloped
ceiling.
The artist working in the studio enjoys
uninterrupted views of the beautiful garden
in front of her. The previously overgrown plot
has been entirely remodelled with paved and
gravel surfaces, raised decked areas, white-
rendered retaining walls, evergreen shrubs
and flower borders.
The family bathroom also received a
completely new look. We visually increased
the tight space by a full-width mirror on the
side wall and added character with patterned
Victorian tiles and bespoke joinery pieces.
Challenges
The unusual shape of the proposed
extension and its sloped green roof going
to be seen from the public road initially
raised concerns with Camden’s planning and
conservation officers. However, following
extensive discussions we managed to
convince them that the project would be a
positive contribution to the conservation
area.
The strictly limited funds available to our
Clients were another challenge. Despite that,
the project was completed on time and on
budget.
AR Architecture |
Commercial · Hospitality · Residential
Hampstead Old Town Hall, 213
Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QP
T +44 (0) 207 209 2851
W www.ar-arch.co.uk
E [email protected]
Adelina Iliev Photography