9154
Sitting comfortably within one of St Albans’ finest conservation areas, Clarence Park, is, a locally listed Edwardian semi-detached property.
Despite its charming exterior, the existing living arrangements were not working for the family of four. The north-facing kitchen and living spaces were disconnected and lacking in natural light, so we sought a solution to create a dining area directly connected to the kitchen and a space to appreciate their garden.
They also desired an extension that had a strong contemporary look but was easily distinguishable from their Edwardian property.
To achieve this, we designed a single-story extension with floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors with minimal frames, providing a strong visual link to the garden.
The glazing wraps around the rear of the extension, with the structure painted yellow to tie it back into the client’s existing kitchen island design. Cleverly positioned rooflights maintain a light and airy feel to the kitchen and children’s playroom.
The extension is north-facing, so we had to consider how to bring in natural light without overheating during the summer. We addressed this challenge by installing a significant amount of glazing, which provides a very good level of natural ambient lighting.
The extension has been wrapped in vertically seamed black zinc cladding, which directly references the metal cladding found elsewhere in the conservation area. The high-performance cladding is low maintenance and provides the contemporary contrast with the existing Edwardian architecture that the client desired. The new patio area and flush thresholds simplify the clients’ engagement with the outdoors.
