Oxford-based practice Gresford Architects has used a stepped stack of charred-timber-clad forms to extend a Victorian terrace in Walthamstow, London.
Designed for a family with a strong interest in sustainable design, the Copeland Road property has been extended at the roof, side and rear with cross-laminated timber (CLT) structures that improve the home's circulation and energy efficiency.
Gresford Architects has added a stepped extension to a London house
Drawing on the "jumble" of extensions and additions that many residential streets in London, Gresford Architects replaced a dated extension at the rear of the home with a stack of four distinct, playful forms with differing roof pitches.
"[The extensions] reference the domestic architectural language of the street's surrounding backland extensions, engaging in an interesting and harmonious dialogue with the neighbouring houses," said the practice. The extension is clad in charred timber
"The new extension reads as a crisp and contemporary addition, with charred timber cladding that provides a robust yet pleasing contrast with the brick of the original house."
In order to improve the layout of the home and its connection to the garden, the ground floor has been reconfigured, with an open-plan kitchen and dining area opening onto an external patio.
An open-plan kitchen and dining area is located on the ground floor
These new spaces, which sit at a slightly lowered floor level, visually connect...