The reimagining of a ground floor extension to a Victorian terraced house, the humble London Stock brick is celebrated and it's stackable quality is used to create a sculptural structure.

Using bricks reclaimed from the demolition of the rear of the house, the new addition works within a rights of light diagram to create a staggered, extruded form that appears to 'melt' away from the existing house.

Unlike most side return extensions there is no rooflight but instead a lightwell between the existing back wall of the house and the new extension which brings light into the centre of the plan. The stepped brickwork continues on the roof of the side return and is exposed on the inside to provide texture and contrast to the interior space and it's simple understated material palette. On the inside face of the lightwell the stepped roof of the side return drops down and becomes a wall of faceted glass.

The layout of the ground floor has been flipped, with the kitchen placed at the front of the house within the existing living room with it's bay window and original Victorian features, the palette consists of dark colours and material tones to reflect the existing heritage of the house. The dining room is adjacent to this in the centre of the plan and is delineated by a change in floor surface with a warm narrow timber floor which contrasts with the smooth concrete of the kitchen and rough grain concrete of the new rear addition. The lightwell provides natural light and breathing space to the dining area as well as a focal point through the drama of the faceted glass wall and views of the rear extension with it's stepped, rhythmic brick ceiling.

The Architect worked closely with the Structural Engineers to create a column free-space in the new extension, using laser-cut, double-direction stepped beams to support the first floor. The structure of the addition was integrated into the design from the start – working hand-in-hand to create the appearance of a first floor that is sunken into the extension.

In this way they have created a modern, innovative addition that respects the existing house while at the same time using modern building methods which elevate the ubiquitous brick.