25 Coleshill Road is a total reinvention of ‘the ugly duckling’ on the street into a sustainable, contemporary detached family home. The clients brief to us included the reconfiguration of all the internal spaces, a near rear/side extension to incorporate a family area and the addition of new modern dormers to the top floor to improve usability.  

The existing dwelling had a very distinctive presence on the street as a standalone three-storey house painted in white, that differed from the surrounding Victorian traditional red-brick dwellings. The anomalies of the existing house presented an opportunity to design in partnership with the clients something that is both sensitive to the surrounding area whilst retaining its distinctive quality in a modern way. The design of the new side and rear extension is respectful to the existing property profiles and its vernacular follows the pitch of the existing roof for both new extensions, which in-turn provides a playful outlook to the overall property when seen from the private rear garden.

Careful consideration has been paid to the materiality and detailing of the property. The front of the house has been reinvented with the introduction of a new dark-grey brick facade, whilst the side and rear of the property has benefitted from a dark and light grey insulated render that will complement the new brick front facade.

Importantly for the clients, the design strategy looks to improve the thermal performance of the property significantly with all existing external facades and roofs having new insulation and energy use being regulated with the introduction of a new ASHP heating system. The brief requirement to improve the thermal performance of the existing building has allowed us to provide a modern external aesthetic that complements its street setting. The project delivered a contextual and unique approach that improves the architecture of both the existing dwelling and the street in which it sits.