Upper Addison Gardens

: London

Upper Addison Gardens is the experimentation of a material and construction philosophy that applies to thousands of rooftops over London and beyond.

The project is the latest collaboration between Developer Client, Lonrop, and Woodrow Vizor Architects, together seeking to push the boundaries of adapting existing buildings with a considered approach to materials and process. Remodelling a tired one bedroom flat into a spacious three bedroom apartment through the conversion and extension of the attic has transformed the property and almost doubled its size. Complete with large open plan living, set beneath the grandeur of the glulam roof, the extension includes a terrace with views out over the rooftops of West London. Utilising timber as primary exposed structure, where too often steel is default, has lowered the project’s embodied carbon, whilst making workability easier and working at height safer. The three primary beams alone, given their sequestration, helped save 1 tonne of CO2 when compared to the equivalent steel. Weighing ⅓ that they would have done if they had been steel also enabled the team a simpler logistical operation in their cranage and installation, allowing them to be trimmed on site for a perfect fit with offcuts used for joinery throughout the property. The end result is a biophilic material backdrop to the open plan space, with a synergy then existing between the interior and the canopy of the trees outside which offer the occupants an ever changing backdrop of colour, from stunning spring blossom to golden autumn hues.