Extension

Designed for a builder client – who undertook the project during lock down – this is an example of the transformation possible when you consider an entire site as a building canvas. Additionally, it shows how outdoor spaces can be rhythmically stitched into and around a building plan. And how sheltering connections – here in the form of a complex timber screen that continues our interest in controlling light and shadow effects – creates more liminal transitions that dissolve the distinction between being inside and out. Caption Caption Caption Formerly bedraggled, this bungalow is now a comfortable family home with the best of both worlds – cherished character spaces and a distinctly contemporar... More

A celebration of family life within an envelope of detailed brick and rich, textured surfaces. On this project, our clients had very clear design references: a love of mid-century design, semi open-plan spaces, bricks, strong corners and views throughout the house from front to back. In some instances, happily, the clients know exactly what they want. This was one of those occasions. Caption Caption This city-fringe bungalow extension for a design enthusiast and family would be semi-open rather than open plan. Corners would be important, because they are the places where good conversation happens. There would be clear visual connections from front of house right through to the green oasis and pool out back. And rustic brick &nd... More

Designed by Francesco Pierazzi Architects, Sawtooth House transforms an ageing rear extension to a Victorian property in Kingston upon Thames, south-west London, into a more energy-efficient and adaptable family home. Rather than pursuing substantial additional floor area, the project adds only 15 square metres to the existing building while undertaking a broader retrofit of the original house. The resulting 180-square-metre residence demonstrates how targeted additions can be combined with improvements to the existing building fabric to reduce operational energy demand and extend the useful life of established housing. Peter Molloy The architecture also draws on Kingston’s industrial history: its distinctive double sawtooth roo... More

The Europaschule Linz is a multi-award-winning training school affiliated with the University of Education Upper Austria, where personal development and the assumption of responsibility are encouraged. To continue upholding these values, an EU-wide open design competition was announced for the school’s expansion, which we were able to win.  EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer The expansion will consist of a central, two-story connecting structure. To accommodate this, the existing central wing will be demolished and rebuilt. The new building will serve as a link between the existing, independent sections of the classroom wing and the gymnasium building—the school’s new cen... More

The expansion of the Franz-Martin-Straße kindergarten combines the existing structure with a new addition featuring timber construction and modern, child-friendly architecture. A light-filled, L-shaped building, spacious open areas, sunny terraces, and varied garden spaces create a high-quality environment for play, learning, and community. Wood, glass, and greenery define the warm, inviting atmosphere. The expansion of the existing kindergarten results in a contemporary, high-quality educational building that unites functionality, atmosphere, and sustainable architecture within a clear overall concept. The existing west wing is preserved and sensitively redeveloped. Along Franz-Martin-Straße, the new building is two stories ta... More

The new backbone of the school, designed as a narrative, refocuses the project on its users, the meadow, and its adjacent small wood, evoking the gentle world of childhood. Agora Award 2014. elua® The extension and rehabilitation of the existing building primarily aim to highlight the strengths of the site: a beautiful meadow at the rear and a small wood along the edge, between the school and the cafeteria. The new wing is located in a position that faces the small wood rather than turning its back to it, thereby enclosing the meadow and transforming it into an alternative courtyard during the warmer seasons for both the school and the after-school program. The project is organized around a white “spine” that starts a... More

Lao is not an additional floor, but an unfolded roof structure that preserves the identity of a traditional roof, adds height for the inhabitants, and opens views to the outside. Attic conversions in the Old Town have become a recurring challenge in Bordeaux, as the city seeks to accommodate greater urban density while preserving its exceptional heritage quality. elua® Making the attic space habitable inevitably requires roof intervention, so rather than opting for the standard solution of adding a new floor or a volume atop the existing structure, we chose to unfold the roof like an origami in order to gain space and maintain the character of the building’s original framework. elua® The faceted form does not add... More

This project is an extension and renovation of a 40-year-old clinic located in Mie Prefecture, Japan. The existing reinforced concrete building, constructed in 1984, houses a dental clinic on the ground floor and a residence on the second floor. At the time of its construction, concepts of universal design were not yet widely recognized. The surrounding area was more rural and tranquil than it is today, and the appearance of this pure white RC clinic must have made a strong impression on the landscape. Its elevated plinth, dignified stance, and geometric composition based on strict horizontality and verticality created a sharp contrast with the surrounding fields, reflecting an era when medical architecture was expected to possess a strong... More

Old and new, separated by a glass connection. This allows a glimpse of the garden and preserves the old ivy-covered façade. The clients needed a separate area for the children, but the long-established garden was not to be used. Franz Ebner A minimalist house with a width of 260 cm as an extension to an existing turn-of-the-century house – separated by a glass connection. This allows a glimpse of the garden and preserves the old ivy-covered façade. The clients needed a separate area for the children, but the long-established garden was not to be used. The building was therefore placed in the remaining area to the side of the property and contains a spacious hallway and the children's area. Franz Ebner The out... More

The new Nordic pool in Erstein is an extension of the existing aquatic center, whose expressive architecture is surprising: shell-shaped, garish colors, large bay windows. The Nordic extension project takes the opposite approach to the existing building thanks to a refined and sober expression.  Guillaume Porche Guillaume Porche Guillaume Porche Guillaume Porche The new 25m outdoor pool is located at the heart of a strongly connoted space that is perceived as a patio or an "open-air room." This new place is an outdoor space perceived as a warm interior, a setting that accommodates the stainless steel pool. Guillaume Porche Guillaume Porche The walls of this outdoor room border the public domain to the no... More

La CATHouse is the result of the transformation of an old duplex in the St-Henri neighborhood, built around 1885. The idea of creating an expansion that would highlight this former working-class building emerged from a meeting with a local craftsman trained in the arts in France. Specializing in the restoration of cornices, friezes, entablatures, and other metal ornaments of old Montreal buildings, this craftsman was able to impart his expertise in the design of a contemporary extension. Marc-Olivier Bécotte Marc-Olivier Bécotte The expansion is inspired by the metal sheds typical of Montreal’s back alleys, but with a novel approach: copper, traditionally used as a mere ornament, becomes the primary material.... More

Atelier Baulier has remodelled and extended the lower-ground floor flat of an early Victorian house in North-East London. Having lived in this compact one-bedroom flat for several years, the clients appointed the practice to increase the size of the kitchen and create a living space directly opening onto the garden. The brief also called for the entire refurbishment of the existing flat to optimise storage and circulation. Henry Woide Henry Woide Henry Woide Henry Woide Henry Woide Henry Woide Located in the Canonbury East Conservation area, the project resulted in a 20 square metre single storey extension spanning the full width of the rear elevation. Atelier Baulier removed an existing shed and the entire re... More

Our clients wanted to improve their existing traditional Victorian terrace house by adding a rear extension, refurbishment and reconfiguration of the traditional plan. The design has delivered a bright home, with distinctive design moments scattered throughout the house, such as the circular skylight and a timber cladded wedge-shaped amenity room that enhances the openness and natural light intake of the interior, revealing an ideal place for our musician client to practice.  Nick Dearden We added a generous single-storey ground floor rear extension, with a roof terrace above, replacing old additions to the house (dating to the 1970's and 1990's). The ground floor plan has the kitchen at the front of the house, a spacious, privat... More