Lordship Park
Stoke Newington
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Suffering from both historic bomb damage and tree-root subsidence, the dilapidated building called for a bold structural intervention. Our proposal was to insert a cruciform concrete structure into the heart of the house, to prop up the rear wall and form the back-bone of a new extension. Stepped openings and split levels mediate between the original house and the re-landscaped garden, forming a series of surprising and generous living spaces, held together by the expressed concrete structure.
Double-skin brick wall construction is combined with concrete beams, reinforcing the monolithic language of the structure. The design combines a sensitive approach to its neighbours in the Lordship Park Conservation Area, as well as creating a distinct and contemporary extension.
The concrete walls and polished concrete floors are softened by exposed timber beams and lush garden foliage, planted against the glass doors in order to merge inside and outside.
As well as a substantial rear extension, the work includes a loft extension, a basement excavation and the reconfiguration of living and sleeping spaces. The whole house has been upgraded to improve its thermal performance and the heating has been converted to electricity supplied by renewable energy.
The project is a sensitive yet bold response to its neighbours in the Conservation Area, combining restoration with contemporary design. The result is a unique and inviting family home that enhances and enriches the unique characteristic of the surrounding neighbourhood.
Photography by Nick Dearden
