This once dilapidated Victorian villa has been reinvented to create modern family accommodation. The main body of the house has been sensitively refurbished and the numerous extensions to the north have been demolished or altered to rationalise the plan. Using bold dimensions the new double-height entrance hall is designed to be an identifiable new addition; it was felt that a continuation of the same language of the existing house would detract from its current form. It looks over a newly excavated courtyard lined with a continuous rubble bath stone wall that penetrates through a glass screen to form an internal first floor gallery linking inside with outside. However, the aim was also to maintain a strong relationship between the two buildings and to respect the original building through complementary materials. In addition, the scheme incorporates a range of sustainable solutions, from recycling stone that was originally onsite to an improved thermal performance. The concept of the new extension and house refurbishment work was to reverse the orientation of the building to create the entrance to the rear north elevation, allowing the elegant Victorian south façade and garden to become a private sanctuary for the family. In a clear case of less is more, numerous lean-to extensions were removed and the rear garden excavated to create a new contemporary double-height entrance hall overlooking a level courtyard. This new external space is lined with a reclaimed rubble bath stone wall that wraps around the space and creates a roof terrace over the garage, penetrating through the new glass screen to form an internal first floor gallery, linking inside with outside.
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