A Victorian terraced house is extended to the rear, drawing closer to an old apple tree in the south facing garden. A narrow site demands that functions (kitchen, courtyard, stairs, stove, study) align with edges and attach to structure, occasionally swelling towards the heart of the plan. Handmade terracotta floor tiles unite internal and external space like a carpet through the plot. Blockwork and in-situ concrete are used sparingly, though prominently, as primary structure at ground floor. Larch-clad timber frame completes the floor, wall and roof structure on the upper level. The house transforms in summer, when hardwood doors open fully to the courtyard and fold back to the rear allowing the elemental concrete structure to stand free, pavilion-like, between party-walls and bridging from house to garden.
Our cities demand higher density housing without compromising quality of life. The site is on a Victorian street with an already impressive low-rise density of 73 dwellings/ha, achieved through long, narrow (>5m) house plots, which though dense, often lead to dark and claustrophobic living spaces. This project explores how to adapt narrow houses in a manner that contributes to a sense of spaciousness and well-being with spaces to socialise, work and play. It offers a model for contemporary homes with longevity and flexibility in mind, built in a hybrid construction of concrete frame ground floor and timber frame first floor.
