A rear and side addition with internal remodelling to a typical 1930’s suburban detached house. An eroded corner is propped with a cantilever structure that creates a new floating facade which incorporates a hanging steel structure to frame views of the garden.

The house is set in a North London conservation area generally defined by the character of early to mid C20 garden suburb development. The proposal preserves the character of the street scene and mutates to a resolutely contemporary new language to rear and side elevations to compliment and enhance the existing architecture.

The house is located on a low density plot with gardens that are significantly more generous than the surrounding estate. The language of the existing house, defined by its small window apertures and solid walls had a visually weak relationship with the large external space.

The corner of the heavy brickwork structure is removed at ground floor level and a new steel frame inserted. The eroded corner is emphasised with a projecting cantilever structure that allows the new facade to float above the ground and away from the existing structure. The cutting into the existing building fabric by the new frame is emphasised by separation through a large L shaped glazed roof element.

The new facade wraps its way around the entire rear, side and new outbuilding to create a new, predominantly transparent, relationship to the gardens. The floating facade also supports an exposed hanging frame that both acts as a seat on the threshold of the extension and frames views of the garden from deep within the plan of the new open plan living space.