Architecture firm Proctor & Shaw has completed an extension project on a Grade II-listed villa in north London called Heath House. The aim of the project was to reconfigure the existing home, replacing its awkwardly sized rooms and dilapidated conservatory with contemporary spaces that are suitable for both work and living.
Proctor & Shaw designed a blocky extension that includes both above and below ground volumes. The extension features a cuboidal form, which not only maximizes the amount of natural light entering the space but also utilizes a natural material palette consisting of wood and white brick.
On the ground floor, the extension is composed of three blocks that are topped with green roofs and enveloped in white brick. The choice of white brick was deliberate, as it matches the white-stucco exterior of the original building. The facades facing the garden are adorned with large floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for picturesque views to be framed within the interior.
The roof of the extension is constructed using oiled Douglas fir beams, which are left exposed. This design choice creates a cohesive aesthetic with the rest of the kitchen and dining space, where warm woods are used for wall panels, benches, and cabinets.
Moving beyond the ground floor extension, the front rooms of the villa have been left intact in terms of their volume, but they have been updated with oak parquet floors and oak joinery, giving them a refreshed look.
Adjacent to the kitchen and dining space, a split staircase leads down to the basement extension of the home. The first half of the staircase is made from perforated steel and leads to a landing workstation, which features the same terrazzo flooring as the ground floor.
The stairway descends further into the lower level of the building, which houses a gym and a home theater adorned with richly colored oak sound-absorbing panels.
Proctor & Shaw have not made any alterations to the vacant areas, but the rear yard adjacent to the new addition has been revamped and divided into distinct areas by Sara Jane Rothwell, the founder of The London Garden Designer.