"While the footprint remains the same, our house has been transformed beautifully into a warm and welcoming home, dramatically opened in height, light, and with a seamless flow that works for us as a family"
- Client and owner of Harfield Gardens House
Originally built in 1979, this charming brick and timber single-storey mews house sits tucked away in an infill behind a Georgian terrace. Though planning permission had been granted for a second storey, the initial design's low ground-floor ceilings and lack of upper-floor windows posed challenges. We successfully argued that raising the building's height would create a more cohesive and environmentally sensitive design.
Our client, a young family, sought to modernise their home to better utilise the interior space. The house also struggled with dampness and poor ventilation. They wanted to completely remodel the property, adding a second storey to maximise light and create an open-plan living area that maintains a connection to the beautiful courtyard gardens at the front and rear.
The brief was clear: create a light-filled space that is perfect for working and entertaining while being environmentally efficient to minimise energy costs. We aimed to preserve the existing structure wherever possible and incorporate the bamboo-lined gardens into our design. The project highlights our commitment to repurposing early modernist homes to address sustainability concerns while celebrating the heritage of British modernist architecture.
The interior plan features a modular system with equally sized rooms and a seamless flow between spaces. Large floor-to-ceiling windows with sliding doors open up to bamboo-lined courtyards, fostering an inside-outside feel that is a hallmark of midcentury design.