Studio Carver has refurbished a terraced Edwardian property in Belsize Park, north London. Its Anglo-American owners wanted a contemporary structure reminiscent of American-style timber conservatory extensions to serve as the family?s primary dining area. The modest extension replaces an existing conservatory creating more usable space internally with better visual and physical connections to the garden. Photography by Richard Chivers.

–

The challenge was to reference American, suburban architecture while simultaneously relating to the house?s English-Edwardian style. Tall vertical sash windows reflect the elegance and rhythm of the existing Edwardian rear French doors. Deep oak fins between the windows express this verticality whilst diminishing neighbouring views into the property. Within a dense residential neighbourhood and amongst small rear gardens the glazing and fins give the owners maximum privacy whilst maintaining an intimate relationship with their garden. The timber fins and windows rest carefully atop a fair faced concrete plinth grounding the new conservatory. White oiled oak cladding, combined with exposed concrete, creates a calm palette of materials and subtle contrast to the existing yellow London stock brick and white painted house.
Internally an oak bench spans across the rear elevation and is integrated into the wall construction. Occupants can sit against the glazing, experiencing the garden and la...