Richard Shaw at the Crawford Partnership has just completed a project to extend a house in Camden, London in the UK. The project was to replace an existing dilapidated small lean-to rear extension with a new glass extension at ground floor level and a new timber and glass pod addition accessed off the existing stair's half-landing. More after the jump.

+ crawfordpartnership.co.uk

Before - the small lean-to rear extension.

"The lower level accommodates a new kitchen/ dining area to relocate the tiny original kitchen that was set within the ground floor living room. The clients, an editor for a national newspaper and his wife who works in publishing, occupy the house with their two young daughters. As the daughters are growing up and the couple often both work from home, they were severely in need of extra space."

The design achieves an open kitchen/ dining area at lower ground floor level that flows into the garden space. It also enlarges the opening in the rear wall of terrace to bring additional light through to what was the gloomy original kitchen area. The level of the new rear extension is over 1m lower than the original level and the small rear garden was also excavated to match. By digging down, the walls of the small garden have been extended and their perceived additional height achieves a greater sense of enclosure to the garden space giving it a room-like quality. The sunken garden bordered by planting also achieves a reduction in outside noise levels within the space and creates a tranquil enclave within this busy part of the city close to Camden Town.

The first floor pod above is a flexible space that can be used as a home office, play room and guest bedroom. It has been clad using the timber veneer material Prodema Lignum, a material chosen over traditional timber cladding to give a sharper finish to the design. The material is also resistant to weathering and retains its colour, which was carefully chosen to complement the London Stock brickwork. The roof of the pod has a sedum covering which not only has an environmental benefit, but also a visual one as viewed from the top storey of the house."