Our client’s home wasn’t working for them, they found the configuration of spaces didn’t suit their needs. The property was overheating in summer, energy bills in winter were high, and the room with the most natural light was the bathroom.

Internally, we moved the utility and WC further into the property and brought the living spaces towards the new rear façade. The proposal has been configured to avoid large spans, minimising the use of steel beams which will bring down construction costs and embodied carbon. We chose to finish the new extension externally in a combination of rough cast render, concrete and blockwork to elevate the pebbledash finish used on the existing house. The roof form projects beyond the rear façade, which is south facing to reduce solar gain.

Given the client’s modest budget and aspirations to reduce embodied and operational carbon as much as possible, we developed a scheme for an extension that would utilise existing foundations and avoids the need for complex steel structures. Externally, our proposals utilise breathable lime render, which adds texture and articulation whilst dramatically improving energy performance.