House Extension
East England, United Kingdom
July 2016
How can we feel more alive? How can we break the barrier between nature and where we live? Is it possible to invite more light and nature into our living spaces? How can we maximize natural light?
The brief involved a beautiful Victorian house overlooking a large back garden situated at Suffolk in the east of England. We were asked to design an extension that included the new open plan kitchen and dining room.
We felt that it was important to maximize the natural light and harness the potential of the views to the back garden. The galley style kitchen layout is followed by a series of windows on the ceiling allowing light to wash into the area. The kitchen counter is also naturally lit by a series of windows that act as a kitchen backsplash. These windows could be opened upwards creating a bar like space that could serve meals to be eaten outside in the garden.
To ensure that the original living room also has access to natural light, a series of glass slits were placed in the wall so that the kitchen could act as a light well. The dining space has a balcony attached with a series of sliding glass doors to further open the space to the outside letting light and fresh air into the interior. The kitchen is open to the dining area, making cooking a social activity and always a special occasion.
