RED-IN-RED, WANSTEAD

Modest in scale, yet grand in its impact

The project involved alterations to a house located in a conservation area in the leafy Wanstead suburb. The work included a part single, part two-storey extension, a garage conversion, and a dormer loft extension. Although the extension only slightly increases the footprint, the transformation of the internal space is significant, delivering an open plan kitchen, diner and snug. Thanks to the very modest increase in the footprint, the rear garden size remains at a good size.

The design of the exterior adopts a monochromatic approach with a rusty red colour theme, inspired by the prevailing finishes of the host and adjacent properties. It implements a tone-in-tone composition of brick, including colour-matched mortar, hung tiles, metal door and window frames, and rainwater goods. A subtle variation in the brick coursing, which is a result of combining a stretcher bond with an in-and-out vertical stack bond, adds a tectonic texture to the facade.

The project appeared in the RIBA Residential Directory 25/26 (page spread 118-119).

Photography: PLANSTUDIO