Situated within the Grange conservation area, this semi-detached townhouse had a traditional layout. There were two rooms to the rear of the property and a poorly constructed, non-original extension.

Fundamental to our proposals was the creation of an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space with double doors out onto the external terrace. The extension had floor-to-ceiling glazing to bring daylight deep into the plan. Our key objectives were to strengthen the connection to the garden and to maximise daylight. The newly-formed external terrace can be accessed through the extension, which provides a seamless flow. This sliding element was key to the natural ventilation strategy—especially important to the south-facing aspect.

Another objective of the design was to create an exposed oak structure that acted as both the structure and frames for the floor-to-ceiling glazing. The only steel structure contained within the extension are the galvanised feet at the base of the vertical oak posts. We love the integrity of this extension; there’s a structural honesty to the exposed oak structure as it can be seen in the walls and ceiling of the extension.