The footprint of the proposed new house follows suit of it’s original 1970’s predecessors, although it looks to adopt a more modern way of living, with a more open-plan kitchen and living space onto the garden. Service rooms such as the utility and W.C are efficiently grouped together in the central spaces, ensuring that the rest of living spaces benefit from natural light.

The first floor accommodates two double bedrooms, along with a smaller single bed/study room and bathroom. A key aspect of the brief was to make sure that the proposed new house was in keeping with the overriding 1970’s aesthetic of it’s context, whilst still being a clear contemporary design. A subtle approach was key, and to achieve this, the house looks to adopt the same form and proportions of it’s adjacent counterparts by way of proportion of brick piers and window fenestration.

Rather than simply try and mimic the past 1970’s style, the proposed looks to reference the original aesthetic in a slightly more abstract way, opting for a simple palette of complimentary materials. A buff brick with similar tones to the original surrounding properties was chosen as the principal material, to ensure in blended in with its setting. The use of brick is elevated with the introduction of bonds and textures, using a “hit and miss” header bond to what is a rendered panel on the original houses, which brings a sense of craft and contemporary detailing to the new house.

In keeping with a sense of craft and to bring a sense of warmth to the elevations, composite oak frames are specified in place of the standard white plastic. The owners wanted to again express the addition as a contemporary scheme and therefore opted for a standing seam finish to the roof.