We were presented with a run-down single fronted south facing terrace, to create a home for a single occupant on a low budget. The brief was simple: 2 front rooms, one of which would be a bedroom. The rest of the house was to be kitchen, living and eating areas, a space for a car at the rear, and a bathroom.

The restricted house needed space, light, volume, longevity and strength.

We wanted to make the home feel unexpectedly spacious and bright. This has been achieved through;
1. permitting light to enter from lots of different directions, from the roof, the north, the south and the east

2. inserting a central courtyard, which in time will be leafy and green, and which benefits three spaces in the home

3. creating high ceilings, and high level windows

4. creating a broad transition between the existing corridor and new rear space, so that the two spaces merge. This important device totally changes the relationship between the old and new, and creates a feeling of connectivity, space and light.

We wanted to make the home more robust, and to have longevity. This home has been there for 100 years, the extension is built to last another 100! We did this by:
1. using bricks and concrete as primary building materials.

2. detailing in a robust and timeless manner

3. using materials like perforated plasterboard to increase sound absorption

4,incorporating storage in the design, so there is somewhere to put the bins and the tools (its the timber storage pod to the left of the external shot)

We wanted the home to be flexible. A small space that is able to be used by different people in different ways. We did this by
1. The car parks parallel to the boundary, minimising the space it occupies. The landscaping is pavers with green between. When the car isn't there, the courtyard takes its place.

2. The galley style kitchen results in free space for living and dining