A Challenging Glass Insertion  

Status: On Going

Location: London N2

When the client’s brief was to have a contemporary, “industrial style” extension, you knew the planning approval process in a neighbourhood like East Finchley would be challenging.

The double-story extension was planned to expand the kitchen and dining area, already connected to the TV room. It was also designed to extend the eldest daughter’s bedroom. As a teenager, she wanted space for studying with friends during sleepovers or simply a private area as a young adult.

Combining architectural elements with different styles always creates a fracture between the new and the existing building. The two parts no longer communicate, thus the fracture itself became the “dialogue” between them — a “non-dialogue.”

The opening, result of the demolished rear façade,  “grasp” the new glass structure on both the ground and first floors without any transition. The black metal frames of the new addition connect directly to the existing building.While burned wood fins act as a bridge, blending the old Victorian house into the new extension.

At first, the local council rejected the design, calling it “unsympathetic.” However, they reconsidered during the appeal and gave their approval.

Images: CGI