SW House, London
London, UK
2016
The project comprises the refurbishment of a terraced house in Tooting, south west London. It includes a new build single storey rear ground floor extension, a roof conversion, as well as a redesigned interior space. The brief was to enlarge an Edwardian period house, redesign the interior and reinforce the foundations, within a tight budget.
The refurbishment and extension allow the ground floor layout to be more efficient. The existing walls have been removed to maximise the space and light and also to create views towards the garden from all parts of the ground floor including from the entrance and living room. An extension was added to enlarge the floor area and maximise daylight on the ground floor. While the side elevations of the extension comprise exposed brick cavity walls, the rear façade has full-height glazed folding doors to make the space feel light and connected to the garden. The extension’s roof is a single ply roof with gravel finish on top. A large roof provides natural daylight into the living space. Within the new expanded space, light flows into the lounge and full-height glass focuses views towards the garden
The ground floor layout and kitchen have been designed for simplicity and functionality. The dark weathered zinc on the exterior communicates with the blacks, whites and greys of the interiors. However, the design of the interior achieves a softer touch by using bespoke detailing and a rich palette of materials such as stone and timber.
We maximised the space by using sliding pocket doors both on the ground floor and first floor. By using fire resistant sliding pocket doors we achieved an open space feeling and also ensure the design’s compatibility with the regulations. The bathrooms were redesigned to be more ergonomic and make the most of the limited space available. A new toilet added to the ground floor to increase accessibility. Service and storage areas are arranged on the side walls, allowing the central accommodation to be configured as a single continuous open space.
The loft has been re-designed to host a master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. The views towards the garden have been maximised by full-height glazed sliding windows with French balconies. The bathroom becomes the focal point of the bedroom and a space for relaxation with a walk-in shower and curved free standing bath under the sloped ceiling and the large skylight. The unused space beneath the slope is used for additional storage.
The external walls of the loft and extension are clad with pre-weathered dark zinc panels; full-height glazed doors allow the living spaces to open to the garden, connecting inside and out. We used zinc because of its sustainability, distinctive appearance, and low maintenance requirements.
The front façade‘s old fashioned rendered brick walls were cleaned and repainted while all the window frames have been renewed to match the extension’s façade.
Photos: Ashley Goodwin, ashley goodwin.co.uk
