Rear extension in Epsom completed

Today, we visited a completed rear extension project for a 3-bedroom house in Epsom.

The property included both a roof extension and an original outbuilding on the ground floor, shared with the neighbouring property.

The client aimed to extend the property towards the rear, incorporating a side return that would extend 7m deep, all while preserving a side alleyway.

The new extension features a kitchen seamlessly integrated into an open-plan dining area.

Facing northeast, the rear of the property required careful planning to maximize daylight. Therefore, selecting the right size and placement of doors, windows, and rooflights was crucial.

To comply with planning advice, we reduced the eaves height of the rear extension towards the detached neighbour and designed a pitched roof for the side return section, with an external eaves height of approximately 2.2m. This design element not only became a distinctive feature of the space but also allowed the installation of wide roof windows, which flood the open-plan area with natural light.

We and the clients are delighted with the final result, which beautifully enhances the home's functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Daylight and luminance analysis for an extension in Kingston

We regularly use analysis tools to predict the amount of daylight received in a space as a function of the openings size, location and moment of the year. In this view we are showing the predicted Luminance on the 21st of March at 12.00 for our new ground floor extension in Kingston.

Daylight analysis tools offer to foresee the exact amount of daylight received by a determined space in several moments of the year. These tools are always very helpful in general, but they play a crucial role in our designs. By scrolling through our project images it is easy to see that daylight intake is a common thread, we are convinced that daylight within a household plays an huge factor in the health and well being of its inhabitants and we feel a duty as Architect to try and optimize this factor in all our projects.

In the case of this project for a rear extension in Kingston, we analysed the daylight intake with a configuration of a sliding door at the right, a generous window at the left and three skylights placed in the middle of the rear extension’s ceiling. With this type of diagram, it is very easy to see that the daylight will be very evenly distributed throughout the floor plan without being overwhelming (refer to the area in green).

Lighting design is a complex discipline, but we try to explain these metrics and parameters to the clients in a very straightforward way so they can understand the rational behind the dimension of the openings in their extensions.

These tools have become an essential part of our work at any stages of the design, especially at preliminary stages prior to submitting a planning application. We look forward to seeing this project finished and show this point with the final pictures.

Work in progress: Daylight analysis for one of our projects in Hampton

We usually determine the final dimension of doors and skylights using daylight analysis tools. These tools play a crucial role in our design process, allowing us to carefully assess and optimize the luminance levels on specific dates. For one of our ongoing projects in Hampton, we recently conducted a thorough analysis and the images below refer to a daylight simulation on March 21st at 12.00.

When it comes to predicting daylight levels, at Square One Architects, we rely on two key metrics: daylight factor and luminance. These metrics provide us with valuable insights, each with its own advantages and limitations. The daylight factor offers a straightforward snapshot of the projected average daylight levels, while luminance provides a more intricate analysis, taking into account factors such as orientation, the day of the year, and the time of day. By carefully cross-referencing these results, we can effectively communicate to our clients the reasons behind our optimized design choices for doors, windows, and skylights, tailored to their unique project requirements.

This particular project involves both a ground floor extension and a loft extension, posing unique challenges when it comes to daylighting. When it comes to the ground floor extension, it is of utmost importance to consider the predicted level of daylight in relation to the orientation of the building and the size of the glazed surfaces. Thankfully, in this case, the rear extension faces north, granting us the opportunity to incorporate generous glazed surfaces while minimizing the risk of overheating during the warmer summer months.