Edwardian Semi:
Outwards & Upwards

Client: Private - family of four
Engineer: Techniker Ltd
Photographer: Ioana Marinescu web

This redevelopment of a 1930’s Edwardian semi consists of a ‘rough and ready’ loft conversion in birch ply and a serene Cartesian rear garden room of glass, steel, & concrete.
A new ply staircase leads to a sunlit loft conversion of a bedroom & en suite. With new dormers not permitted, the stair is carefully formed into the existing roof's apex, resulting in a quirky, upward folding object. Birch ply provides a calm, warm space, and serves the structural requirements for new ‘deep beams’ & floor strengthening.
The ‘Cartesian’ garden room juxtaposes heavy mass elements - concrete, masonry & self-coloured render - against the more visually ‘lightweight’ materials of glass & steel. This combination achieves minimal heat loss with maximum daylight gain. The indoor room reaches out through a polished concrete floor that doubles as an outdoor terrace; indoor planting brings the garden inside.