“What we’re after, is a glass box in the sky. If we can’t get it, we don’t want it.” Gone are the days of creating conventional dormers and roof extensions – there was scope to do something different and we leaped at the opportunity.

Project type

Loft Conversion

Project Location

Kensington

Total Existing Area

149 sqm

Total proposed Area

160 sqm

Serviced Requested

Planning Permission, BR, SE

Permitted By

Hammersmith and Fulham Council

Contemporary Loft Conversion in Hammersmith & Fulham

3d Design plan Contemporary Loft Conversion in Hammersmith & Fulham

Design plan Contemporary Loft Conversion in Hammersmith & Fulham

Before Contemporary Loft Conversion in Hammersmith & Fulham

The Brief

Our clients at Blythe Road had an existing mansard extension which they were eager to extend over the outrigger to accommodate a luxurious bathroom which felt like it was floating in the sky. The Victorian property, situated in a conservation area meant that there were vast design constraints we had to pay close attention to before putting pen to paper.

The initial brief was to create a contemporary extension to house a stunning bathroom, both maximising the internal space and increasing the property value for our client, and completely transform the external appearance of the property whilst ensuring that we did not upset the flowing character of the local context.

“If you’re in a conservation area, this doesn’t mean you can’t be creative. You either have to create something similar in character for subordinate design or go completely out of the box to differentiate between old and new”.

Our Solution

The main intention was to create the “glass box” concept our client had dreamed of. We went through many design iterations, each exploring the pros and cons of visual impact, contrast of character, preservation of amenity and beneficial internal space. After much deliberation and one pre-application later, the design was frozen and we could submit it to the local authority of Hammersmith and Fulham.

The design includes a Juliette Balcony which looks like a translucent cube being embedded into the mansard, along with a zinc cladded extension with vertical walls and an angular corner window looking out onto mature trees in the garden. We aimed to not only improve the internal space, but create a design which would later enhance our client’s lifestyle, generating something which played to the strengths of the site, all whilst adhering to the strict local policies in place.

Summary of Works

After almost 4 months of negotiations, revisions and justifications with the council – the design was finally approved. We are very much looking forward to the detailed design phase of the project and seeing it through to completion. With many roof extensions under our belt, we can confidently say that this project will exceed expectations, and our client has been granted their dream of a floating box in the sky. Watch this space!