Upper Walthamstow House
Project: Full house refurbishment and rear ground floor extension
Location: Waltham Forest, London
Year: 2021-2023
A unique ground-floor extension with a captivating zigzag roof that enhances space and views of the garden.
When purchased by our client, this bright and spacious London Victorian semi exhibited many hallmark issues of historic properties of this period. Minimal insulation, poor glazing, and poorly planned alterations had created a cold, inefficient home, with access and views to a beautiful rear garden blocked by a poky kitchen and dining room.
Our clients desired something unique and contemporary in spirit but also related to the character of the original property, the garden and its location. They wanted to transform the property into a comfortable lifetime home for entertaining a large extended family, welcoming guests for extended periods to celebrate “any excuse for a multi-faith event”. Indoor/outdoor living was to unfold with practical ease.
What was needed was a feasible balancing of energy-efficient upgrades and the spatial changes that would transform the quality of life in the home.
Taking into account their needs and aspirations, we explored various options. During these early stages, we designed several extensions with a range of sizes, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each scheme with the client before agreeing on which direction to take.
Maximising the project's impact by making fabric improvements whilst enlarging space at the rear was achieved by clever design and a strategic approach. We identified improvements with the most significant impact and balanced this with their desire to construct the largest extension.
We all agreed that a rational box wasn't the way to go for the extension's design, so we got creative and explored a site-specific wrap-around design that worked in harmony with the existing pitched roofs. The result was a zigzag profile reminiscent of Walthamstow’s industrial heritage buildings.
The articulated roofscape with its exposed timber structure adds character and depth, creating a beautiful contrast with the flat ceiling below the existing first floor. This creates different spaces and moods appropriate to their use.
The kitchen, as the hub of activity, is more compressed and extends outward to the adjacent spaces.
The adjacent space extends upward and out to the garden. Whether you're enjoying a quiet cup of tea or entertaining a table full of guests, extensive glazing provides uninterrupted views of the garden. The window bench inside and out allows one to sit comfortably and enjoy the garden or indoor activity. The garden, with its seasonal changes, becomes an integral part of the home.
Together with improvements to the whole house, making the home comfortable for hosting family, the new extension with a generous kitchen and dining room becomes the focal point for household activity. The small separate rooms that once isolated the house from the garden now work as a unifying element to bring people together and integrate them with their surroundings.
