Queen's Park House

: London

Our client approached us with a challenging but exciting brief; to create “a home that is warm but wow, generous and bright. For family, friends and entertaining. A window onto the world”. To do so involved a complete transformation of this Victorian property, and the careful marriage of existing traditional elements with bold and contemporary interventions.

The reconfiguration begins with the removal of the existing pergola and outbuilding, which cluttered the rear elevation and reduced light to the ground floor spaces. A contemporary extension is then slotted below the existing outrigger and extends to the side of the property, creating a hierarchical intersection of volumes. This layering of old and new continues throughout the house. An example is the traditional entrance hall which opens to the spacious and contemporary kitchen/living area at the rear. The hall is bridged left and right by the feature oak stair, which evolves as it ascends, growing from a solid mass to a lightweight steel frame, suspended in the void. The interplay of multiple elements demanded careful detailing between adjacent materials and spaces, and across thresholds and abutments, to achieve a harmonious synthesis between original and contemporary features. On a compact site the main opportunity for extending was down. But the generous basement, anchored by two light-wells at the front and rear, feels anything but subterranean. Adjoining rooms are washed with natural light, air, sky and nature, ensuring the quality of habitable spaces throughout.