Leconfield Road, Highbury, London
Our studio has designed the Leconfield Road extension in Highbury, London using cross-laminated timber and red composite cement panels and has incorporated a stair into the garden. The client wanted a rearrangement of the entire house of three storeys, and a one storey extension. Starting from the lower ground the stairs was relocated outside of the existing boundary, creating a patio where the stairs is incorporated in a cross laminated timber (CLT) structure going up to the ground floor. The kitchen opens to the patio and an extension of 34.5 sqm is added to accommodate a dining and living space. The extension is constructed with cross-laminated timber frame and an engineered wooden structural system, which reduced on-site construction time. CLT was also chosen as it is a more sustainable construction method compared to using traditional blockwork, which helps reducing CO2 emissions. The exterior of the extension is clad in Viroc, a composite material that is made using wood fibres and cement particles. Vertical panelling and protruding fins made from the material were used to animate its façade. Additionally, the red hue of the cladding complements its neighbouring red brick buildings. The extension opens onto a terrace and a green space.
The ground floor comprises the main entrance, a bedroom, a study and a hallway, and use the existing stairs to reach the first floor. A kitchenette is incorporated in the first floor to serve the bedrooms in that floor instead of going 2 floors down to reach the main kitchen which was a problem in the original set up of the house.