Townhouse powered by an Air Source Heat Pump | Architects in Hackney

Our latest full house refurbishment is a London townhouse powered by an Air Source Heat Pump. The clients are excited about their newly enlivened London townhouse in Stoke Newington.  With rising energy costs, this project offered a chance to improve the house’s thermal efficiency and avoid using a gas boiler to heat the house and the water. The goal is to make the house as energy-efficient as possible and the client was keen to have as much natural daylight to the rear of the house.

The main living area features a large, open-plan lower ground floor with a bright, airy kitchen, dining room, and lounge. In a bold architectural move, the kitchen and dining room have been transformed into a stunning double-height space. This dramatic alteration was achieved by removing an entire room from the ground floor, creating a sense of openness not typical to the typical terraced house. 

A new mezzanine stair leads to the kitchen and rear garden extension which features a distinctive pyramidal roof. A turquoise steel cladding is used to provide a vibrant wrap a highly insulated timber framed construction. The insulation to the house is increased to the highest certified thickness without losing floor space.

The large glazed top light in the roof floods the space with natural light, significantly improving daylight levels at the back of the house.

High wall insulation and a new underfloor heating system support an Air Source Heat Pump, reducing reliance on gas. The removal of part of the ground floor posed a challenge for the air source heat pump and underfloor heating system on the lower level. To address this, the principles of underfloor heating was applied to the double-height wall. A low pressure wall heating system was concealed within the wall. This ensures that the entire room remains comfortably warm without heat being drawn upstairs.

The commitment to energy efficiency extends to the garden studio, which mirrors the construction of the rear extension. This cohesive approach ensures that all new elements of the home blend seamlessly with the main house and contribute to a more sustainable living environment.

The top floor now has a new larger dormer roof conversion with significantly improved insulation levels to reduce solar gain and retain heat in the winter . Each bedroom has custom wardrobes occupying the inclined space to roof void. To reduce their reliance on electricity, solar PV panels have been mounted on the large dormer roof conversion. These panels contribute to the sustainable energy strategy and lessen the environmental impact of the house as a whole.

Photography by Fred Howarth

Not! Another Side Extension | Architects in Islington

^{A distinctly retro style informs a garden pergola extension to a terraced house in Newham, East London.}

forresterarchitects have completed a distinctly retro style garden pergola extension to a terraced house in East London.

With no houses to the rear of the property the south facing aspect is prefect for the client and the new garden pergola extension is perfectly orientated. It enjoys sunshine from the early morning sunrise through to the late evening travelling almost uninterrupted across the sky, with just unrivalled views of the sky and the City of London beyond.

An inclined exposed roof structure informs the interior and extends outside to form a garden pergola to the South-facing terrace. As well as providing a passive solar shading device to the interior the rafters create a wonderful shaded terrace overlooking the garden. A slight offset to the rafter lines informs the pergola extension orientation to shade the interior from the sun path, which align with the wide boarded engineered timber floorboards to provide a visually interesting interior. The client’s character informs the interior of the pergola extension distinctly retro style with a touch of the Scandinavian influence complimenting a way of living, pairing its minimalist form with affordability. Add to that distinctive mid-century modernist furniture provides simple lines and natural materials to offer natural warmth across the interior. The main house remains distinctly traditional retaining the colour palette and architectural detailing of a by gone era. To the entrance reception the mosaic tiled floor provides a muted perimeter pattern, which defines the extent of the refurbishment. A timber-paneled bathroom, in a verdant green, provides the littlest room with a touch of calm and contemplation after a busy day in the City.

A far cry from the large, cold and draughty 1970’s conservatory space which it replaced.

forresterarchitects have proposed no side extension to the rear of a mid-terraced house in Archway, North London.

There is no need for a side extension. A mid-terraced house to North London has been reconfigured by forresterarchitects. The usual full width rear extension has been avoided. The client wanted to feel better connected to the garden. To the rear, long rear gardens provide more space to the garden so there was an opportunity to take advantage of the large areas of sky.

A balance between transparency and privacy and the house, garden and the neighbours has resulted in a unique architectural solution. There is no need for a large voluminous side extension. Only a single pier from the existing rear outrigger wall construction remains. The existing bay window and French doors is removed to the rear. As a result, large framed unrestricted views of the garden pond and beyond are provided to the newly reconfigured ground floor plan.

The lounge rooms to the ground floor are well proportioned and remain intact. The traditional circulation route into the Victorian terrace house has been simplified. A newly configured cloakroom terminates the principle circulation route within the main reception space. The dual circulation, to and from the front and rear, of a typical terrace house has been reconfigured. A processional route has been created-the route into the house is celebrated.

On arrival, guests are presented into the front and rear reception space. The colour palette is intimate and creates drama with traditional architectural features around the house. The front and rear lounges connect to the newly reconfigured kitchen beyond. A peninsula kitchen provides a practical kitchen preparation area with a walk-in larder to the rear. Beyond the kitchen, the breakfast table sits next to oversized bi-fold doors, which frame views of the East-facing perfect for breakfast and watching the sunrise.

To the upper floors the existing two bedrooms remain intact and provide good-sized accommodation. The main bathroom has been reconfigured as a shower room. The traditional freestanding roll top bath is relocated to the new top floor dormer extension.

The top floor dormer is a seemingly rare result for the local area. Hearsay suggests that the local council does not permit rooftop dormer extensions. It may explain why they are largely missing to the terraces. The rear outrigger extension seems a more favourable location for an extension, which is a cumbersome addition to the vertical proportions to the townhouse. Don’t believe everything you here on the street.

A new dormer roof extension is added, not to provide bedrooms but a dedicated jazz dance studio dance studio is located to the top of house. The client’s love of jazz has been satisfied with the installation of a proprietary sprung floor. Dedicated to hours of jazz dancing the space remains flexible enough to provide a double bedroom, with a large traditional ensuite, when the situation dictates it.