Wood distinguishes Binom Architects’ remodelling of a Victorian semi-detached house in north London
Binom Architects’ reworking of a Victorian semi-detached house in De Beauvoir Town, north London, comprises both a rear and loft extension, as well as extensive internal remodelling. Located at lower-ground level, the rear extension focuses on linking the kitchen, dining and living areas to the garden. Sliding glass doors open-up the corner of the structure, while the landscape is raised to meet sill height, reinforcing the spatial connection to the outside.
A new double-height space incorporating a lightweight steel and timber stair is designed to strengthen the visual sequence between street entrance level and garden, as well as to maximise daylight. The stair also helps to screen-off the kitchen from the surrounding space.
Lower-ground, ground (part), and first-floor plans; section
Timber is central to the project. The extension is clad in a black charred larch. Inside, a natural version of the same wood is used for the floors and stairs. The top of the house is lined in veneered pear tree panels, which cover the storage units, bed head and the side tables. The continuous surface treatment extends to the top floor staircase, which doubles as a storage space and leads to a new study in the suspended mezzanine.
“This project is very much about opening up a house in a way that maximises natural light”, says Binom founder Marta Granda Nistal. “The living areas on the lower-ground floor have a direct relationship to the garden with the generous horizontal glazing. The top floor has skylights and the rest of house traditional Victorian windows. These all provide different qualities of natural light that we find interesting and have considered in the textures and colours of the materials used in the interior.”
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