GATE HOUSE
Beautiful timber and glazed extension to traditional style property, Henley On Thames, Oxfordshire
A stunning single-storey rear extension to a large detached dwelling. With large expanses of south-facing glazing and a beautiful glulam supported glass canopy, this project embodies the client’s dream “California living” at its best.
The existing house was built in the 1930s featuring traditional red brick, a clay tile roof, and white painted-timber casement windows. While the house was large, the client rightly felt that the original layout resulted in a disjointed and incoherent living experience. Inspired by the fact that the house looked out onto a patio with a swimming pool and large garden beyond, the client envisioned a unified California-style experience featuring ground-living accommodation that merged seamlessly with the home’s inviting outdoor space.
Our
Approach
The heart of our solution was the creation of a bright naturally lit twenty three metre long circulation spine with a structural glass rooflight above. This uniting and inviting element links virtually all spaces within the home, including the new extension.
The design features a set of a large slim-framed sliding glass doors which slide unseen into a cavity pocket. This provides a fully open aperture that maximises the experience of true indoor/outdoor living.
This connection to the outdoors is enhanced by an external covered veranda. A skeleton-like structure consisting of a series of glued laminated timber beams and posts support a structural glass canopy providing protection from the elements. The structure and glazing together lend a light and delicate feel to the extension, enabling it to sit naturally alongside to the solid masonry of the existing house. Silvering Siberian larch timber cladding further ensures a pleasant contrast between the glazing, timber beams, and the warmth of the existing red brick.
DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
Finer bespoke elements include an outdoor daybed with storage below and a green sedum blanket on the extension’s flat roof – a feature that affords the owners pleasing views from the first-floor windows.
AREA
The project involves 130sqm of refurbishment internally, 80sqm of new build extensions and an additional 60sqm of new outdoor covered areas.
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TAIT Architects
5 Kelburne Close
Winnersh
Wokingham
RG41 5JG
