Walthamstow project
This project involves the refurbishment and extension of a Victorian terraced house in Walthamstow, London. The property had last been remodelled in the 1970s, when many original features were removed and replaced with elements of poor material quality and limited architectural value.
The original ground floor was dark and fragmented, divided by a centrally positioned open staircase. At first-floor level, a long, narrow corridor led to awkwardly proportioned bedrooms and a family bathroom. Externally, a low-quality uPVC porch disrupted the rhythm of the street, while a rear conservatory restricted the relationship between the house and the garden.
The project reorganises the plan around a relocated staircase positioned against the party wall near the entrance. This frees the centre of the house, allowing for a fully open-plan ground floor and more functional rooms at first-floor level. A new side extension introduces additional daylight into the north-facing interior, while the kitchen is positioned at the centre of the plan, enabling the living and dining spaces to occupy the brighter front and rear areas.
Privacy at the entrance is addressed through the introduction of a full-height, heavyweight curtain, forming a “soft hallway” between the front door and the living areas. The curtain provides visual screening from the street while creating a more intimate enclosure around the dining space.
Externally, the existing uPVC porch is replaced with a timber entrance structure, offering a contemporary yet materially robust intervention. At the rear, a large pivot door and window improve the connection to the garden while maintaining interior privacy.
A restrained palette of natural materials defines the finishes and joinery. Red Grandis, a sustainable eucalyptus hardwood, is used for the porch, windows, and exposed rafters, while Ceppo di Gré terrazzo is employed for ground floor flooring and bathroom wall finishes.
The project also improves the building’s environmental performance through full internal insulation of the envelope, significantly reducing heat loss and energy consumption.
