Poised Arch

This project is set within the Victorian terraces of the Chiswick Expansion. Fairly unique because of their perpendicular stair case, these terraces are very tightly packed together and in a great need of expansion and spatial reconfiguration. 

The project ultimately aims to revitalise and reconfigure an existing rear extension with a curved roof. Carried out under permitted development the scheme opens up a series of tight living and kitchen spaces into a larger brighter volume. The strong form of the roof curve is exaggerated and enhanced by its contrast with the rear wall of the main house: a brick lintel transects the forms enhancing the impression that the roof is simply abutting the building. The use of bricks bring a visual weight to the proposal that is then counter-balanced through the larger linear openings and the full glass rear wall. This weight is minimised by making the roof appear to be a single brick deep through clever structural design and engineering. The structural gravitas of brick and steel suddenly feels light, as if it is floating or suspended through its own weightlessness. 

The result is a dramatic performative space of intertwining geometries where the life of the family can unfold and engage with both the garden and the core of the house.