Oakwood 

London Borough of Sutton

Planning submitted 

This unusual 1960’s bungalow sat in the centre of a large plot which gave it a unique isolation from its neighbours. The bungalow had a large rectangular footprint which provided ample internal area, but it was poorly divided into multiple smaller rooms. The client purchased the site with the ambition to double its internal area for this to become their family home.

The existing building is to be extended to the rear with a courtyard splitting the additional mass. The courtyard provides natural light into the adjacent spaces and allows visibility for child supervision from the kitchen to the playroom. A generous double height space provides views out onto the rear courtyard as identical staircases lead up to the additional level.

Three large double rooms with en-suites are located on the upper level. The existing footprint of the ground floor has been opened to create a series of living spaces all with connecting views out onto the amenity spaces. With the benefit of the building being positioned in the centre of the plot and completely detached it allows all windows to provide uninterrupted views out onto the amenity space creating a strong link with the outside.

To reduce costs and limit the demolition of the existing building it is proposed to retain the external brick walls and create a lightweight timber structure to form the additional first floor. This will then be clad in a charred black timber and the existing brick base would be painted to match. The overall result would create a cohesion between the proposed and existing with the black timber softening the additional massing.