Stepped Wall House
Stepped Wall House is a direct response to the unique site topography and geometry. The typical London ‘side extension’ typology had been adapted to the sloping and narrowing side passage site. The architectural solution was a mono pitched side roof which lands on a sequence of stepped walls which vary in height. In plan the steps create zones for dining, sitting and working.
The new structure is simply expressed with exposed white washed timber beams and buff brick cavity wall. Internally a monolithic concrete floor and steps is paired with natural Clayworks plaster, Oak veneered joinery and green painted kitchen cabinetry with terrazzo worktops.
The design is an innovative response to a unique site that results in a clever take on the typical domestic extension project. The house occupies a shallow bend in the road where the terrace ‘breaks’, the rear side passage site is therefore angled in plan and, due to local topography, sloped in section. A simple concept resolves the complexity with efficiency and elegance. A mono pitch roof, spanning to a sequence of stepped walls, encapsulates the space whilst respecting adjacent outlook and planning constraints.
The three stepped walls define different activities in plan. The section nearest the garden (highest and thinnest) is fitted out for dining, the middle section is flexible gifting generous width to the main kitchen, and the third section, lowest but widest in plan, is spacious enough to accommodate a bespoke desk and storage for home working.
The simplicity of the solution was also the key to bringing constructional value to a complex site and what is a large extension project for a terraced house. Side and rear extensions added 27.5m2 with 34.5m2 of refurbishment and fit-out for about £140,000 (Ex VAT and fees).
