Flipped Garden Room | Architects for Brondesbury Park
Our latest project in Brondesbury Park builds on the approach developed across three previous schemes—showing that a side extension isn’t always necessary to improve space and function.
A key aim of the refurbishment is to create a bright, open living environment suited to everyday use. At the same time, the project restores the building in line with the North Kilburn Conservation Area guidelines. Currently, the home feels disconnected from its garden. This proposal re-establishes that link. We will install an air source heat pump (ASHP) in the front garden. By replacing the gas boiler, the client qualifies for a government grant. To reduce the ASHP’s operational load, we will upgrade the building’s insulation. To lower electricity demand further, we will install solar PV panels on the rear dormer, outrigger roof, and new garden room. These panels form part of a wider sustainable energy strategy. Any surplus energy will be stored in a battery for use during evenings or overcast days—reducing reliance on grid electricity.
Internally, the new layout improves circulation from the front door through to the rear garden. A modest reconfiguration of the rear outrigger, including a larger bay window facing the side terrace, creates a brighter, more open-plan arrangement. This leads directly into the new garden room, positioned adjacent to the outdoor space.
The new rear dormer follows a traditional flat roof form. Its window arrangement mirrors that of the existing house. We’ll clad the dormer cheeks in vertical materials to match the existing roof finish. Glazing to the garden room roof and dormer brings daylight deep into the plan—crucial given the home’s north-easterly aspect. The amount and placement of glazing have been carefully considered to avoid disrupting the character of the existing house.
Every element of the proposal responds to both the architectural quality of the existing building and the historic context of the conservation area.