HOUSE EXTENSION

    The clients asked for an extension to their ground floor apartment. Since the addition of their young daughter, the clients required extra square meters within their home. Due to the fact that an extension in essence creates deeper spaces, meaning less natural light, we focussed with our design concept on the orientation of the sun. This resulted in a diagonal gesture within the façade; letting as much natural light in, as possible. 

The façade is composed of a tectonic brick envelope smeared with a white limewash; creating an elegant white volume, acting as a continuation of the white painted masonry of the existing apartment complex. With subtle shift within the brick, we give meaning to each individual part of the façade. To give the diagonal gesture a softer look, we round-off the corners around the window openings. In contrast to the white brick, we choose to apply the window frames in a natural wooden tone, which will also be continued within the interior. Folding window elements enable the boundaries of inside/outside to be blurred. The exterior bench functions as an extension of the window sill.We propose a simple design for the garden, where the gravel, as a material extension of the stone/casted floor of the interior, follows the rounded curves of the house into the back of the site. With a part of the garden shed demolished it would benefit the garden greatly. This makes space for an outdoor seating area, with enough distance from the house to have some privacy and at the same time view the architecture of the extension. Since the large bedroom within the existing apartment had to be split up into two separate rooms, it enabled us to redesign the interior. We use the same diagonal gesture; connecting existing and new, creating one family. The diagonal organises the bedrooms, bathroom, and study into one half of the house, and the other half into the multifunctional corridor, the open kitchen and the living room. The multifunctional corridor functions as a potential playing area for the daughter; as part of one fluid living space without any corners protruding it. The benches in the corridor can function as a storage space, as well as be a small pedestals for plants, pictures, etc. The corridor will also function as a view-line throughout the whole house, letting in lots of natural light from the garden, illuminating the deeper rooms within the apartment. The kitchen and living room have been merged into one single space, and with the addition of a workspace, the clients can enjoy the view of their garden from every space. 

The material concept of the house follows this diagonals programmatic logic by creating a clear distinction between what is wood and what is stone/casted floor. The wood is constructed out of simple plywood/OSB panels; providing with its texture a warm and intimate atmosphere. With the use of polycarbonate we make a distinction of the private rooms, blurring the activity within them, whilst letting in natural light. When required, can these rooms we closed off with curtains. The polycarbonate walls would be also framed with wood – relating to the exterior window frames of the rear extension.