Brixton House

A complete refurbishment and extension to a ground floor flat in South London.

We proposed a radical reorganisation to the original plan to create the light filled home our clients desired by prioritising spaces around a central glazed courtyard, this was aided by a modest extension which allowed the insertion of another bedroom. The plant filled courtyard allows light to penetrate deep into the layout and presents views through to the garden from the master bedroom whilst creating a dining area surrounded by outside space on two sides – blurring the sense of inside and outside.

We approached the interior and the garden spaces as the same project and used a black brick to form furniture, walls and floors both inside and outside and to line the glazed central and the rear sunken courtyards, linking the spaces together. On the floor the bricks are laid in a large chevron which continues into the garden and central glazed courtyard to elongate the spaces and draw the eye through to the outside. Internally the material palette is intentionally rich in tone and texture with bold colours bringing cheerful notes across the interior.

Our clients affection for their cat, did not extend to her cat flap yet Mrs Custard (the cat) needed to come and go as she pleased. A set of steps up through the kitchen joinery allows Mrs Custard to pop in and out whilst our clients enjoy large minimal framed glazing without a cat flap in sight.

Reworking the ground floor structure itself and extending created the opportunity to highly insulate beyond building regulation requirements whilst solar gain is mitigated by solar control glass.