Rugby Road
Brighton
Private Residential | Side Extension
Working as architects in Brighton we carry out very many residential projects of all types and size.
This project in Rugby Road in Brighton is of particular interest as the brief called for a side extension and the opening up of a ‘messy’ interior with improved connection to the garden, in order to create a light, bright and contemporary kitchen/dining space. This is a quite typical brief and one that shares much with many peoples existing homes. The result has exceeded expectations. Should you wish to discuss a similar project please do not hesitate to contact us at Shape Architecture.
Transform your home with Shape Architecture: The Royal Institute of British Architects book ‘House goals: Work with Architects; transform your home’ has been published and is now on sale. Shape Architecture’s work at Rugby Road in Brighton is one of the featured projects.
Our project in Rugby Road shows how a relatively small side infill extension can help transform a home.
Here the side extension features a full height and wide glazed window which merges into a rooflight with a frameless glass to glass connection. The rooflight is set in a Sedum roof where the contrast between sedum roof and the rooflight always works well. A Sedum roof is easily installed and helps integrate the extension into the garden setting. The Sedum roof also absorbs around 70 per cent of rainwater that falls upon it and acts as a valuable ecological resource for birdlife.
Bringing the outdoors inside
The large window and rooflight serve to flood the interior with light and give onto a planted wall. The dining table is set adjacent to these features. Previously the kitchen and dining space were configured a separate rooms with only a side door giving onto the garden. It is now configured as one large space with elegant glazed sliding doors giving onto the garden beyond. These are narrow framed and by Maxlight with whom we often work.
Kitchen designing
The design process included a variety of sketches and 3D computer models to ensure ideas can be explored and explained very clearly. A kitchen designer was brought on to develop the kitchen design we had worked up with the Client.
A particular success is the extension of the large format kitchen tiles onto the terrace to aid in the inside/outside feel of the property.
Our Client writes: “The end result has just been fantastic. The best way to go forward with a project like this is to have an architect. We invited Jason, the architect from Shape Architecture, into our house to get an idea of what he was like. He opened us up to other ideas, to what can and can’t be done.”
Shape Architecture by your side from start to finish
Shape Architecture was involved at every stage from the initial designs, to planning permission, technical drawing and the running of a competitive tender process. We visited site on a regular basis to answer client and contractor questions and ensure that the client has our full support at all times.
