Project schedule #11 House in Teddington

In 2021 Square One Architects was commissioned to do a complete refurbishment as well as a rear extension to a recently purchased property in Teddington. The house, a 3-bed terraced house was received in a state of neglect and was spatially arranged in a manner that did not fit in with the new owner’s lifestyle.

The existing kitchen was located on the first floor facing the street and on the ground floor, a conservatory was used as the sitting area. The latter, differed stylistically from the main building appearing very much as a separate addition that would also prove to be problematic for frequent use in the colder months.

As our initial point of action, we redesigned the rear ground floor with the intention of relocating the kitchen and adding as well space for dining and sitting. The new addition was designed to be part of the main building both visually and as means of circulation and use. The redesigned space allowed for a comfortable kitchen with an island facing outwards to the garden and the trees beyond through wide windows and large bi-fold glass doors. Both the dining and sitting area enjoy the same views of the garden and plentiful of light coming down through two large skylights in the centre of the room. This open plan arrangement, features not only bold colours and modern materials to match the client’s taste, but also transforms into a very pleasant and comfortable space, perfect for the frequent use it is intended for.

On the upper floor, the existing kitchen was turned into a secondary sitting room that also had a dedicated space for an office. At the rear of the house the existing rooms were turned into a large room that could be used as either a den or a guest bedroom. Similarly, alterations were made to the rooms on the second floor to enlarge the available space and make better use of it to install new storage spaces.

On the two upper floors, spacious bathrooms, one with both a bathtub and a shower, were designed. Using light materials and contrasting colours these spaces express modern details and brightness in areas of the house that do not have access to windows. Various niches offer extra storage and become statement details through contrasting arrangements of the different tiles selected.

The original 3-bed house was turned into a spacious 4-bed house focusing on comfort and spaces to be enjoyed by the clients retaining throughout a minimal yet clear expression of the client’s distinct taste.

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Project schedule #10 Maisonette extension in Thames Ditton

This month we had the pleasure of seeing the completion of an interior refurbishment of a 2-bed semi-maisonette in Thames Ditton, a transformation that has, as the photos show, greatly brought out the possibilities of this 1950s house.

Taking up the upper first floor of the building, the house is accessed through an interior staircase that ended in a corridor. The original division of the spaces not only limited the access to outside views and natural light but also restricted a more fluid use and circulation.

The new design’s focus was to bring the existing character of the house to a more modern arrangement through an open plan kitchen/dining/living area to be enjoyed by the occupants seamlessly as they enter and move around the house, making it a focal point of gathering. The materials and arrangement of spaces have all been considered with the aim to create a warm and calm environment. From the firewood storage in the sitting room to the vertical wood slat partition of the staircase the materials provide cohesion throughout the house.

The existing staircase has now become part of this circulation and further expanded with an additional flight of steps leading to a new bedroom in the loft. Through the slatted design the now two-flight staircase remains well-lit and becomes a statement element in the core of the house. Although the new staircase required minimising the existing bedroom of the first floor it now allows access to a larger master bedroom in the loft with its own en-suite, a space that was until now inaccessible. The smaller bedroom is now turned into a study/child bedroom and the new master bedroom benefits from a spacious walk-in wardrobe, beautiful views, and plenty of light.

Together with the client we aimed from the start to uncover the possibilities of this house both in terms of space and character. The expansion towards the attic took advantage of the existing yet unused capabilities of the building and employing contemporary design approaches a seamless transition has taken shape not only through the materials and circulation, but also through the new spaces that emerged.

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Before and after images

Project schedule #9 House extension in Kingston

 Infill extensions are not only for enlarging interior rooms but are also a great way to make better use of awkward spaces and working with the orientation of the building as seen in this project of 2020.

The project was a large 5-bed detached house on Richmond Road in Kingston featuring Tudor Revival elements to the front and a large garden to the rear. It also featured a side extension, built in the 90’s as a utility area. It was poorly built and created a garden patio that was always shaded by the main building.

The existing kitchen was rather small for the needs of the family and did not accommodate the modern lifestyle offered by an open plan kitchen/dining/living space. Similarly, the arrangement of the rooms on the first floor seemed to be outdated, with bedrooms needing more space and additional bathrooms.

Our approach to these concerns began by reconsidering the position of the house on site and its orientation. By using infill extensions, we expanded the house to the South and West eliminating dark corners and unused outdoor areas. We carefully considered the direction of daylight and the orientation of the extension so as to have the internal spaces benefit from natural light as much as possible. At the same time, the newly extended house was designed to provide more privacy to the rear garden from the street, more options for internal arrangement of spaces, yet with minimal impact to its overall volume and to the neighbouring properties through careful considerate distancing from the boundary and positioning of openings.

With the new ground floor rear and side extension, more space was freed up to design a bright and open plan space to house the kitchen, dining and living area with direct views and access to the rear garden and a more free-flowing circulation with the inner parts of the house. Through the newly designed arrangement and new windows and doors more light now floods the interiors highlighting architectural details such as the central staircase.

From the outside the new rear extension compliments the form of the house which now also features a gable roof with dormers on both sides. The additions allow for additional spaces on the upper floors including a master bedroom with an en-suite, an additional bathroom and larger second floor rooms benefitting from the added head height. On the ground floor the utility room was redesigned and an additional study room added in the now expanded footprint, resulting in a house that not only meets the clients' needs but promotes comfortable and healthy living conditions.

House refurbishment and extension in Hampton Hill completed

Our project for a house refurbishment and extension in Hampton Hill has been completed. You can check the final pictures here.

Our project for a full house extension and refurbishment in Hampton Hill has been finally completed. This was a remarkably interesting project with a client who proactively engaged in a dialogue with the Architect throughout the whole design phase.

The project started as a ground floor extension and full house redevelopment that would have eventually included a second phase with a loft extension. The client wanted a project that would consider both phases of the design at the same time to avoid any inconsistency at a later stage. As it often happens the clients plans had to change halfway and they decided to reduce the scope for the ground floor extension and carry on with the construction of the loft extension in one single phase.

Our approach has been flexible, and we redesigned parts of the project to exclude certain sections of the rear extension. The revised project included most of the internal alterations that would enhance the property as a whole in particular turning the existing stair 90 degrees to be parallel with the house.

By the end of the project, the property gained two extra bedrooms and one family bathroom at second floor level. Turning the stair 90 degrees allowed to provide a more logical layout at both the ground and the first-floor level. The stair benefits from a skylight at second floor level that provide daylight for the circulation whole space. This is a rare feature in these types of properties, and we feel that the presence of natural daylight in the middle of the house should always be welcomed.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the client for their involvement at all stages and the contractor for building an extension that reflects our design. The construction process was overall very seamless, and this is due to the professionalism of the builders and the precision of the instructions included in our drawings package.

Project schedule #1 Full house refurbishment in Hampton Hill

Project schedule

Year: 2017-2019

Location: Hampton Hill, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

RIBA Design Stages: 0-5

Architect:

Square One Architects

Structural Engineer:

Glencross & Hudson

Building Control:

Building Control Approval

The client for this project approached us in 2017 with an initial briefing that included a ground floor side return extension, alterations to the existing stair and several internal alterations to the ground and the first-floor layout.

The existing property was a typical two ups two downs terraced house in Hampton Hill. The property dated back to the late XIX century and in need of renovation. During the initial phases of the design we agreed with the client to turn the original stair by 90 degrees in order to provide a more rational layout. The initial project also included a ground floor side-return extension to form a new living and dining area to the rear and large bi-folding doors.

After obtaining planning approval for these alterations the clients’ plans changed due to their personal circumstances and they decided to add a loft extension to the project.

Sudden changes in the initial brief are not unusual and we as are always happy to accommodate any additional requirement with flexibility.

The brief for the loft extension included two new bedrooms and the family bathroom with one of the bedrooms to be used as a study or guest bedroom.

A new planning approval was obtained for the loft extension and subsequently detailed drawings were produced for both tender and construction purposes.

The refurbishment was carried out within the clients’ budget with no delays, thanks to the professionalism of the contractor, but also to the clarity of our drawings and instructions.

The result is a 4-bedroom house with 2 family bathrooms and well laid out distribution spaces that benefit from additional daylight created by a skylight that was been placed on top of the new stair.

This full house refurbishment has been a great success and we are very happy that the clients, a family of two are now enjoying their extended property.

Before and after images

Ground floor kitchen and dining

First floor bathroom

Rear view

House extension and refurbishment in Hampton Hill

We are excited to present our new project, a home expansion and renovation in Hampton Hill. We have a video that shows the design from start to finish, giving you a clear view of the transformation. Be on the lookout for more pictures that will showcase the skilled work and careful design that went into creating this space.

At ground floor level, our clients requested a side return extension to expand their living space. This involved the removal of an existing bathroom to make way for an open and inviting area that encompassed both a new kitchen and a dining area. Additionally, one of the main design challenges we tackled was the reorientation of the existing staircase by a 90-degree angle within the new kitchen/dining space.
Moving up to the first floor, we transformed one of the bedrooms into a generously proportioned bathroom. By removing an existing partition, we successfully fashioned a second spacious bedroom on this floor, maximizing the available space to meet the needs of the family.
Expanding further at the loft level, we introduced two brand-new bedrooms and a family bathroom. This addition not only complemented the existing layout but also provided our clients with an accommodating and versatile space for their growing household. We took great pleasure in designing this project specifically tailored for a young couple, and we have full confidence that the thoughtfully crafted spaces will cater perfectly to their evolving needs.