The brief of the project was to convert the basement of an existing house in London to a new kitchen and bicycle workshop with new access to the garden.
The architects persuaded the clients to improve diagonal connections in the house by opening up a double height space from basement to the ground floor.
This double height space allows both verbal and visual connections through the house and frames a west-facing view to the garden from the ground floor sitting room.
The materials were considered with respect to the relationship of new to old, with the original pine flooring exposed steels painted turquoise, and exposed brick used throughout.
The stair forms the interface between old and new, with a Victorian string carrying the flooring from above to below, and a rhythm of stainless steel rods top and bottom bolted providing the balustrade.