Hackney Victorian house extension lets the light flow through

Can you describe the project?

We have refurbished and extended an early Victorian house to create a warm and comfortable family home in Hackney, east London. A rear extension provides ample entertaining space and improves the connection to the garden. A new curved stair leads to the loft conversion, which provides an additional bedroom with a generous dormer window.

Were there any significant factors that influenced the design?

The house is located in a conservation area and we decided early on that the front should align with its immediate context, a row of well-proportioned Victorian brick facades.

At the back, the height of the new rear extension was determined by the existing party walls from the previous extension, a requirement imposed by planning. To reduce construction costs, we used these walls, externally cladding them in brick. Rather than concealing the existing walls, we emphasised them by introducing additional detached walls on each side. This created a sense of rhythm with brick pillars surrounding the dining space, allowing daylight to flow through and blend the garden with the dining area.

Explain the external treatment of the project

We have preserved the front and back of the house, exposing and repairing the original brickwork.

In the new extension, the building employs a full-fill cavity wall system with clay bricks, a contemporary take on the Victorian solid double-leaf wall. These walls are anchored to a hybrid steel and flitch timber frame. Two precast concrete lintels complete the facade, delineating the transition between the vertical and horizontal elements. Coarse pebbles and GGBS were added to the mix, giving the lintels a more pale and textured look.

The rear patio is finished in the same brick. The windows and the large pivot door play a key role in the overall composition of the facade. The window frames and their beads are submerged within the walls, giving further presence to the two vertical elements holding the large oak pivot door. We chose a beeswax woodcream product for the finish of the wood to ensure longevity while giving it a natural oil-like finish.  The new loft dormer plays a quiet visual role. We used dark zinc to tie in with the existing slate roof.

How have you designed the interiors?

We designed the house to highlight the contrast between old and new. Original features were kept and restored, while the lower level and loft were given a new contemporary look. A lime plaster finish was used throughout to connect these spaces.

The new rear extension is supported by a combination of steel and timber. Flitch beams, a sustainable alternative to steel, provide structural support while offering a warm oak finish. Large stone tiles were selected for the floor. The roof steps down toward the garden, creating visual tension and drawing focus to it. This design directs the eye outward, offering an interplay of light and view.

The new staircase to the loft has been quite experimental in its finish and form. The stair was envisioned as a monolithic sculptural piece that echoes the curved internal hallway corners. The lime plaster finish blends the stairs with the walls, allowing further focus on its form.

What was your approach to sustainability?

The house is fossil fuel free with two air-source heat pumps in the rear garden running the underfloor heating. An MVHR unit supplies fresh, filtered pre-heated air. The house was insulated internally with wood fibre while aerogel was used in window reveals to remove potential cold bridges and reduce condensation risk.

Embodied energy was reduced by using composite steel and timber flitch beams. The rear extension is finished in Marshmoor Brick and concrete lintels with a 50 per cent GGBS content. 

What was the main challenge and how did you overcome it? 

The project was technically complex both in terms of its form and structure as well as sustainability measures such as using MVHR and air-source heat pumps. This necessitated significant coordination with consultants and close collaboration with the contractor.

What was your favourite moment of the project?

It was when the new dining space with its finishes started to take shape during construction, followed by the integration of the main pivot door completing the composition both internally and externally.

Ben Ridley is founder and director of Architecture for London

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Key data:

Total contract cost £530,000
Area of extension 182m²
GIFA cost per m² £2,900