MIMSTUDIOS

Our design for a wrap-around extension in Hackney replaces the former utility lean-to and extends the kitchen, modernising the heart of this four-bedroom terraced house. The expanded kitchen now includes a dining area, a large island with bar seating, and a sitting nook adjacent to a fixed full-height glazing, offering views of the garden.

By lowering the ground floor level and incorporating a pitched roof, we maximised the headroom in the new kitchen. The column-free structural design creates an open, uncluttered space that seamlessly connects to the patio, both materially and spatially, through the large fixed glazing and sliding doors. The immediate patio, set a step lower than the garden, provides a cosy, private hardscape.

A practical access route from the front entrance leads directly to the kitchen, flanked by a new powder room and an enclosed utility space. This functionality is balanced by a more ceremonial descent from the rear reception room into the dining area. A built-in bench with integrated storage is seamlessly connected to the stairs at this transitional space, with a large skylight illuminating the area and bringing natural light into the rear reception room, replacing the previously existing window.

The clean, minimalist design is reinforced through careful spatial alignments and a restrained material palette. The play of sunlight through variously sized and positioned glazing enhances the soft materiality and crisp lines of the interior.

Externally, the design continues with the same cohesive approach. The volumetric shift between the side return and the rear extension is articulated with light-coloured render, catching sunlight and shadows. The uncluttered facade presents a moment of calm within the dynamic and bustling Hackney streetscape.