{"id":756623,"date":"2024-09-27T06:10:04","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T05:10:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=756623"},"modified":"2024-09-26T17:10:43","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T16:10:43","slug":"quinn-architects-adds-second-storey-to-1970s-mews-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/quinn-architects-adds-second-storey-to-1970s-mews-house","title":{"rendered":"Quinn Architects adds second storey to 1970s mews house"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n

Originally built in 1979, the mews house sits tucked away in an infill behind a Georgian terrace in south London. The brief was to create a light-filled family home for living, working and entertaining. The existing house, which suffered from dampness and poor ventilation, has been completely remodelled with the addition of a second storey and an open-plan living area.<\/p>\n

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The existing structure was preserved as much as possible and environmentally upgraded. The interior plan still reflects the house\u2019s modular structure with equally sized rooms and an open flow of space between them.<\/p>\n

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Large floor-to-ceiling windows with sliding doors open up to bamboo-lined courtyards, helping emphasise the inside-outside spirit of the original Modernist design.<\/p>\n

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Architect\u2019s view<\/h3>\n

We were excited to take on the challenge of renovating and extending this single-storey house. The project was inspired by the lovely courtyard gardens at the entrance and rear of the property. The house\u2019s midcentury post-and-beam design was clearly influenced by the Case Study Houses in California, which we knew from our previous work in Los Angeles. Our goal was to transform this modest structure into a modern family home nestled within these courtyard gardens.<\/p>\n

As architects, we are deeply interested in the atmosphere of a place. We felt the original house lacked a strong connection to its surrounding landscape and the spacious feel of the Case Study Houses, partly due to a 1m-deep storage void in the ceilings. The original planning consent maintained these low 2.3m heights and added a new storey with only high-level windows, which concerned us as it limited the quality and potential of the space.<\/p>\n

With our client\u2019s support, we took a bold step and proposed a fully glazed scheme that raised the roof height, creating a new, dynamic relationship with the gardens. By designing a single volume, the building now benefits from rooms that borrow visual space from one another. A double-height space for the stair below a large roof window transforms previously dark and poorly ventilated areas into spaces filled with light and air. Credit should be given to Southwark Council for understanding and approving the benefits of our architectural design.<\/p>\n

Influenced by English Modernists like John Winter, we wanted to create a building that truly represented the sum of its parts. The use of concrete, limed block-work, timber, steel and glass reflects our commitment to an elemental and straightforward construction method, executed by skilled local builders. Modernarc, our contractor, was an excellent partner in this hands-on approach.<\/p>\n

This honest and simple design integrated into the courtyard gardens has resulted in a long-term solution for our client. The radically improved environmental performance and high-quality design have truly set this building apart.
\nLaurence Quinn, director, Quinn Architects<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Client\u2019s view<\/h3>\n

We tasked Quinn with the challenge of modernising a unique mid-century home to meet the living and environmental needs of the 21st century, without compromising the integrity of the house’s original spirit. Since 1979 the house had only received superficial interior updates and, with its floor-to-ceiling single glazing, wooden window frames, and inefficient heating and insulation, it urgently required attention.<\/p>\n

Quinn immediately understood our need to give the house new life, to evolve rather than keep it in aspic. The resulting evolution builds upon, but does not compromise, the original Case Study ethos around which it was originally designed back in the 70s \u2013 that of open-plan simple volumes and panoramic windows overlooking exterior courtyard spaces.\u00a0 While the footprint remains the same, our house has been transformed beautifully into a warm and welcoming home, dramatically opened in height and light with a seamless flow that works for us as a family.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Project data<\/h3>\n

Start on site<\/strong> March 2023
\nCompletion date<\/strong> December 2023
\nGross internal floor area<\/strong> 120m2<\/sup>
\nGross (internal + external) floor area<\/strong> 149m2<\/sup>
\nForm of contract<\/strong>\u00a0Traditional
\nConstruction cost<\/strong> \u00a3447,000
\nConstruction cost per m<\/strong>2<\/strong> <\/sup>\u00a33,725\u00a0
\n<\/sup>Architect<\/strong> Quinn Architects
\nClient<\/strong> Private
\nStructural engineer<\/strong> Structural Design Studio
\nM&E consultant<\/strong> CDP (Contractor\u2019s Design Portion)
\nQuantity surveyor<\/strong> Bonfield
\nContract administrator<\/strong> Bonfield
\nPrincipal designer<\/strong> Quinn Architects
\nApproved building inspector<\/strong> All Building Control
\nMain contractor<\/strong> Modern Arc
\nCAD software used<\/strong> Vectorworks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 Originally built in 1979, the mews house sits tucked away in an infill behind a Georgian terrace in south London. The brief was to create a light-filled family home for living, working and entertaining. The existing house, which suffered from dampness and poor ventilation, has been completely remodelled with the addition of a second …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32845,"featured_media":756997,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[706],"tags":[100524,1624,6258,1982],"yoast_head":"\nQuinn Architects adds second storey to 1970s mews house<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The original structure has been extended and environmentally upgraded to create a home for a young family\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/quinn-architects-adds-second-storey-to-1970s-mews-house\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta 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