This project is latest in a series of remodelling works on a semi-detached house. It takes the form of a modest extension, which is only 1.4m deep in order to preserve the volume of the garden.Rather than creating a whole new room, the volume of the extension opens up the circulation and connection between the living and dining areas of the house.Structurally it is formed around a cantilevered, T-shaped concrete frame wrapped in a glazed envelope. There is extensive use of timber in the interiors, on which the practice worked closely with the interior design firm Black & Milk. There are exposed timber joists to the ceiling and joinery elements form the kitchen, the dining space and the snug.AdvertisementArchitects viewMore than an extension, the intervention reads as a tectonically autonomous piece, formed by a cantilevered concrete frame on a single support over a diaphanous glazed envelope. This concrete frame is then revealed as extending into the middle of the house, acting as the main support around which the kitchen, dining and family snug revolve.The last key element is the joinery, involving the whole floor and gradually shifting in form and texture to form the kitchen, dining and snug, effectively resulting in one continuous atmosphere. Sliding antes on the central threshold permit temporary isolation of the different areas while acting as a bench when fully open. The new roof is also part of this arrangement, adopting the walnut of the dining table and emphasising its accessory role through its exposed construction.Looking back into the house from the patio, the flat roof is revealed as a vivid garden, changing in texture and colour with the seasons, offsetting the lost open space.Diego Calderon, director, DF_DCClients viewOur goal was to open up a kitchen/dining/family-room floor thathad previously been divided into two rooms. Mainly this was to introduce more light into the room, and also improve the flow and functionality of a floor much-used by the family. We wanted to maintain some functional divisions betweenthe spaces, ie for sitting versus dining, but also be able to see each other from anywhere in the room.Meeting the brief required an extension in the back garden. We specifically wanted this extension to be as minimal as possible, because we did not want to eat in to the footprint of a patio-garden that is also much-used by the family, and is beautifully landscaped. So the project became a balancing act between minimising the footprint of a back-extension, while maximising the functionality of the extension for living space.AdvertisementThe solution presented by DF-DC, working with Black & Milk on the interior design, was ingenious. We now live in a floor that is actually not much bigger than it was before, but with transformed functionality. It is elegantly modern and daring in its design, while also being practical for the day-to-day life of a family with children. Source:DF_DCProject dataLocation Primrose Hill, LondonStart on site October 2023CompletionNovember 2024Gross internal floor area 87m2Gross (internal + external) floor area 226m2Form of contract JCT intermediate contract 2016Construction cost UndisclosedConstruction cost per m2 UndisclosedArchitect DF_DCClient PrivateStructural engineer Blue Structural EngineersInterior designer Black & MilkGlazing Panoramah!Joinery Shape LondonPrincipal designer DF_DCCDM co-ordinatorApproved building inspector London Building ControlMain contractor CMRCAD software used AutoCAD