Queens Park House

The building is a Victorian terraced house with an original two storey rear extension, housing the kitchen on the ground floor. It was not really adequate for a growing family, and the ceiling was very low. The client’s objective was the creation of a much lighter, spacious room that was innovative in style but also compatible with the character of the original house.

At the side of the kitchen was a narrow external passage, which was overshadowed by a neighbouring extension, and the obvious solution was to build into this space. However, it was essential that daylight levels in the existing house were maintained and, if possible, improved.

A new structural opening was created to join the existing kitchen and the new extension. The ceiling level of the new structure is much higher and Trombé incorporated two areas of ‘frameless’ structural glazing to maximise light penetration into the kitchen and the adjacent living room. Trombé also designed and installed a ‘glass box’ oriel window to co-ordinate with a large pivoted door opening onto the garden.