A sunken courtyard brings daylight down into the new residing room and study of this north London residence, additional by Coffey Architects in area of an outdated garage.
Positioned in a conservation location in Islington, the three-storey Georgian house previously had no backyard, only a narrow courtyard that was permanently in shadow simply because of the garage at the rear of the residence.
London-primarily based Coffey Architects was tasked with re-planning the location, creating new indoor and outdoor spaces for the customers – a newly married couple with a child on the way.
The group felt the very best way to do this was to demolish the garage and excavate element of the ground. This allowed them to produce two new basement rooms with a garden terrace on the roof.
“The residence suffered from a lack of light into the reduce ground floor, and also that it did not have a garden,” studio founder Phil Coffey told Dezeen.
“We did a variety of choices, ultimately choosing on knocking down the garage, digging a basement and including a light courtyard and glass floor to the newly formed backyard location.”
A residing space was designed nearest the house as a continuation of the existing dining room, and a small research was added at the back, which can also perform as a guest bedroom when the couple have guests.
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To allow plenty of daylight to reach these two windowless rooms, a sunken courtyard framed by three glass walls was slotted in among them. Skylights were also extra above the living space, which makes it possible for more light to attain the dining spot.
A concrete floor runs through the whole area. It measures down for the living area, which is set somewhat slower than the rest of the floor, then steps back up for the courtyard and examine. It also varieties a staircase leading up to the roof backyard and frames a raised fireplace in the living space.
“A fireplace is ‘stretched’ from the existing decrease ground floor to connect the new underground area with the kitchen in the residence, and strengthens the cohesion amongst previous and new,” stated Coffey.
Glazing is stored as straightforward as attainable with slender steel frames. Frameless glass was also employed to develop balustrades around the edges of the roof deck. In accordance to Coffey, the aim was to generate a “delicate modernity”.
“There are two sorts of materials – these that get greater with age and people that never,” he informed Dezeen. “Self-finish resources get far better with use, have no require for decoration, reduce servicing, and are also often recyclable.”
“Stainless steel, glass, concrete and white walls are ubiquitous, but when controlled to offer you tight complicated enclosure they present the simplicity and confidence of the architecture,” he additional.
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Planters containing the two plants and trees were added in the courtyard. They have been also dotted close to the roof terrace, along with built-in seating covered in the exact same wood as the decked flooring.
Court Residence was shortlisted in the extensions group of Don’t Move Enhance 2014, which awards the best of London’s residence extensions and renovations. Winners included a new end to a 1960s housing block and a house with a mixed bookshelf-staircase.
Photography is by Timothy Soar.
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Prepare and sections Dezeen
