Brentford

Large semi-dettached period house renovation with angled rear extension in St. Paul's Conservation Area.

Proposed rear view of angled extension

Proposed Extension - Process and Iteration

The property consists of a large semi-detached house, over the ground floor and first floor. The property is accessed through the front, via Somerset Rd and it has a mature tree at the rear of the garden. The proposal seeks options to extend into the garden and proposes a single-storey, rear extension, a ''non-standard box extension''; the use of two type sof bricks and side elevation window chnages.

Multiple options were tested (at the bottom of the page), with a pre-planning application submitted in August 2022, planning in October 2022; and construction starting in May 2023.

FACTS:

Period semi-detached house; Not Listed, Within in St Paul's Conservation Area;
London Borough of Hounslow;
Existing Area: 172 sqm; Proposed Area: 182 sqm; Extension 2.3 x x 4.6 m;
External yellow brick stock.
Corner bifold doors.

YEAR: April 2022 - January 2024

Design Development
The property is surrounded by a lush area of greenery, with some mature trees at the rear of the garden. While this provides a dense buffer zone (visually, but also acoustically) for the Brentford NHS Care home, this also blocks significant light during autumn and winter.

- The new extension is seeking to increase the amount of glazing while rotating the massing to suit better the sun orientation and avoid direct overlooking. A top skylight would provide additional light into the deep ground floor area.

- The majority of the non-original extensions span app. 3 m out from the main house.

- The new extension has the majority of its volume within this 3 m protrusion, with the exception of the 2m glass corner (marked in pink shaded area). The majority of the extension will follow the proportions and the materiality of the host property, while the small corner will provide a modern and carefully detailed addition.

- The existing bay window will be removed at the ground floor, however, the geometry will be flushed and in line with the host building. (as per pink arrows and dashed red line). The proportion of the rear glazing will visually be derived from the large bay window and the new sliding doors will follow these dimensions (arrows marked with ‘‘EQ’’).

Existing & Proposed Floorplans

The scheme seeks to replace the existing rear extension, with modern, updated specifications. The new extension would create an open plan kitchen-living-dining room, with extensive corner glazing to offer direct views into the gardens.

Existing & Demolition (in red) Floorplan

Proposed Floorplan

Concept Design

During the concept development, multiple options were tested.

Option 1 - Aligned with the exiting bay window; use of two bricks to match existing character of the property, but signal a modern touch with a corner glazing;

Option 2 - Maximised glazing and a dark, contrasting tone;

Option 3 - Angled roof and a seat window for reading;

Option 4 - ''Colonades'' to impose a rythm;

Option 5 - Inverted half cylinders to mimic the ''teddy bear's '' porch to the front of the property ( an architectural characteristics);

Existing Rear Extension

Option 2

Option 4

Option 1

Option 3

Option 5