Featured Project Cadogan.

The house, like many of the neighbouring properties along Cadogan Park, is a 1930 detached villa with a mature garden to the rear. While the original south Belfast property enjoyed generously proportioned rooms, the layout had become dated and somewhat awkward in places. The back kitchen and the addition of a single storey sunroom were uncomfortable and little cohesion. Even more significant, these rooms located at the rear, lacked any relationship with the outdoors and garden beyond.

The client’s initial brief was to provide a bright open-plan space, for the kitchen, dining and lounge, with a connection to the rear garden, whilst also arrange the first floor bedrooms and creating a master bedroom with separate wardrobe and ensuite facilities. The roof space would be utilized to maximize storage space requirements. In addition the client required a garden store / workshop / ‘man-cave’ / pavillion for his surfing, mountain biking and mountaineering needs.

The initial concept was a stepped design which created a conversation with a proposed single storey garden pavilion. Large windows exploited the views from the main entrance of the house through to the new extension and into the garden. To maximise the quality of the open plan space, natural light ingress was a key requirement for this area and therefore a large roof light was designed, which would allow plentifully natural light into the kitchen area and subsequent (mid-plan) spaces. Natural light also penetrated the first floor landing through a dramatic light shaft and rooflight.

By matching and using the existing brickwork in the original house, the new extension creates a harmonious connection with the established property yet providing a modern understated answer to the building’s and client’s requirements. Several rooms (lounge, master bedroom wardrobe, ensuite and side lobby) had bespoke fit-out items included, which integrate seamlessly into the overall design of the house, with simple clean lines and detailing.