After their children had flown the nest, our clients downsized to what they see as their final home, a 3 bedroom early Victorian house. We had worked with them before on their family home, and were keen to help them resettle into an alternative property. Although re-worked in the 1990’s, their new house lacked coherence, function, lightness or heart – issues that underpinned our brief.
By stripping away the rear and side extensions, we ‘discovered’ the old house, in plan and materiality. Strip skylighting separates and illuminates the historic building, while the new timber extension offers a generous and contemporary living space, fully open to the garden.
A deep reworking of the house allowed us to significantly improve the energy efficiency. We added insulation, underfloor heating, with a renewable energy upgrade. We also highlighted the connection to the landscape, with a green roof and increased level access to the garden terrace.
Our clients wrote:
“Throughout the project, Robert Dye Architects displayed remarkable attention to detail and professionalism. Communication was always clear, transparent, and collaborative, making us feel fully involved in every decision along the way. The team worked closely with us to ensure the design was not only functional but also reflected our personal style, sensitively combining the old and the new. They were highly responsive to our ideas and concerns, and their ability to solve problems creatively ensured that challenges were resolved efficiently and to our satisfaction.”