MIMSTUDIOS

This four-room duplex flat – the lower part of a converted Victorian mid-terraced property – is located in the London borough of Islington. MIMStudios designed a new 9m2 side extension together with the adjoining 22m2 interior space, which includes kitchen, dining, and a brand new bathroom.

During the planning process, MIMStudios carried out a number of daylight analyses as part of the application to argue for a 3m high boundary for the side extension. Having received permission we were able to achieve maximum spatial impact within a relatively compact footprint.

The design reveals itself through a procession from the entrance towards the rear garden. As one descends from the foyer down to the garden level, they are guided through the utility corridor towards the kitchen. This tall and functional corridor with clean lines is flanked by full-height cabinets covering the utility space and the bathroom partition with a frameless flush door. The end of the corridor opens up with a curved wall on one side marking the arrival into the kitchen. At this point, the visitor’s eye pans from left to right following the openings on the rear wall that reach a crescendo with the tallest opening in the new side extension.

Integration of the structural column into the rear wall build-up creates a playful ambiguity as to the type of openings surrounding it. In their closed position, the two large glazed panes of the sliding door give the appearance of two large fixed windows.

The extra tall opening which is achieved by the additional gable window over the sliding door pane captures the northern sky and lets in maximum diffused light all year around. During spring and summer afternoons, the only direct sunlight on the site also comes in through this large window.

“It has been a pleasure to work with MIMStudios and they have created a really special home for us. They have worked tirelessly from start to finish with an incredible attention to detail and work ethic. The design has been inspired and we now have a very light, beautiful and functional space to enjoy with our family and friends. They guided us through the process with their expertise and experience and were very respectful of our budget, tastes and ideas from start to finish. Their use of computer assisted drawings and visualisations were invaluable as we made decisions about the project and we valued their input with choices of materials and final finishes. Their work with local planning and building control as well as with our contractors was also key to the success of the build and their reassurance and patience throughout was very much appreciated. We could not recommend them enough.”

The lightwell sandwiched between the new side extension and the existing rear wall of the main building is aligned with the bottom level of the duplex flat. The renewed glazed door from the children’s bedroom has direct access to this small play area surrounded by potted plants. Another playful architectural instance transpires here as one’s gaze shifts from the lightwell back into the dining area and out again onto the rear garden.

Materially, the lower level including the new extension is unified with seamless micro-cement. This versatile surface-finish flows from the bathroom walls through the kitchen floor and out onto the rear garden. Such use of singular material not only reinforces the interior-exterior connection but creates a sense of calm within a compact layout of different functions.

Photos by Henry Woide