An elegant, pavilion-like extension to an Edwardian end-of-terrace in the Highgate Conservation Area establishes a deliberate contrast with the original building while enhancing its proportions.

The contemporary design uses a language of refined and crafted elements to bring a feeling of lightness. Rather than the more typical linear focus, the extension’s staggered form effectively reorientates the house so that it faces the garden in two directions.

A latticed douglas fir roof structure – left exposed inside and extended outside as a deep pergola – both shapes and frames the new addition, bringing a sense of the monumental at a domestic scale. Its slatted design filters light and casts shadows in ever-changing patterns throughout the day.

The design adds a generous new kitchen which flows up into the existing house, while a sunken snug looks out over the greenery beyond. The different areas sit within an open plan but are defined by the careful use of level changes, the placement of roof lights and the changing pattern of the timber roof structure.