Dezeen Magazine

Norton Ellis extends Georgian basement flat with glass and brick "outhouses"

A strip of glazing cuts through the middle of this two-storey extension to a Georgian property in west London, by Norton Ellis architects (+ slideshow).

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

Norton Ellis architects used the backyard of the client's mid-terrace basement flat in Fitzrovia to accommodate two "lean-to" extensions joined by a band of glass.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

An open plan living room, sunken below the ground, connects to the bedroom in the existing basement flat, while a kitchen situated on the ground floor is overlooked by a mezzanine platform in the roof space.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

"The space is relatively small so I didn’t want to clutter it up with walls and small cellular rooms. My concept was to create a simple open volume at each level," said Robert Ellis, co-founder of Norton Ellis.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

The extension has a sharply pitched shed-style roof designed to offer the maximum height. A band of glass runs across the top to connect with a glass door and ground floor glazing and follows the steep angle of the roof to avoid the over looking windows of the building above.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

"This was derived as part of the planning negotiations," Ellis explained. "The Conservation officer wanted just a simple and typical 'lean-to' at the rear like an outhouse."

"The site also had to respect daylight to the neighbouring property. Therefore the large sloping roof was dictated by the daylight angle. We then designed two 'outhouses' which were joined by a glass slot or void."

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

The extension is clad in slim dark bricks that reflect the facing of the Georgian building but "give the project a sharper contemporary engineered feel".

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

The central living space within has white walls, birch paneling and a white resin floor. The functional spaces of the house – the kitchen, bathrooms, and utilities – open from this neutral area to reveal bright interiors.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

"These [the rooms] were to appear like 'jewel boxes' - simple timber on the outside but full of colour and brightness when opened up," said Ellis.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

One bathroom is tiled glossy red while a second is a royal blue and the kitchen sink unit is a vivid yellow.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

A custom-made spiral staircase of birch plywood ascends through the three levels to a mezzanine platform in the highest part of the roof.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

"The mezzanine in the roof space provides a sanctuary for work or relaxation," said the architects.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis

Photography is by Kilian O'Sullivan.

Fitzrovia Mews House by Norton Ellis
Long section – click for larger image
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Cross section – click for larger image
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Elevation – click for larger image