Client _
Private
Location_
Oxfordshire
Project Type _
Proposed residential extension and internal alterations
Budget _
Circa £80,000
Main Contractor _
Eight_OneTwo Architects produced conceptual designs for an extension to a home in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire.
The concept behind the design proposal for this property was to respond to the existing architectural vernacular of the surrounding context in a contemporary manner.
The original house is relatively generous but was lacking by way of social integration space. The ground floor spaces especially felt quite detached from one another. The entrance area was dark as you walked in from the front door, with too many doors from space to space, which hinders flow and movement from the front of the dwelling to the rear.
Utilitarian areas have been placed in the existing hallway to the back of the proposal, such as the large storage / cloak area and new W/C under the existing staircase. The W/C is accessed off the hall to provide a double line of protection from the open plan living area.
It was imperative that the kitchen and dining area work well together by creating an infill extension, but equally serve as their intended areas if required without feeling separated.
The overall massing was also in line to that of the existing residential properties along the street scene that have been extended. The ridge line follows a lower order of both dwellings adjacent and does not exceed that of the original, as can be seen on the existing and proposed rear elevation diagrams.
The proposal has the same material palette to match the existing brick work. The rear elevation preserves the same window proportions to that of the existing windows to provide
balance of glass against brickwork, so neither material is too overbearing.
The use of brick work detail was essential to the success of the rear elevation. We proposed to use recessed brick details within the elevation to provide interest and depth to the elevation.
The play on depth of the elevation also serves to create balance and break up what could potentially be seen as one mass expanse of brick or glass if a recess is not introduced.