home extension sf200 - 20th Street Residence: a black folding facade

20th Street Residence: a black folding facade

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20th Street Residence in San Francisco is an elegant remodel and upward expansion of a derelict home. Ingenious solutions were developed in order to respond efficiently to the client’s needs, such as a unique metal bridge at its entrance and a facade that folds open. Very unusual for a domestic project, don’t you agree? Well, let me introduce you to this unique new house extension. Continue reading

home extension villa vs 10 - Villa VS: crossing modernity with traditional handcraft

Villa VS: crossing modernity with traditional handcraft

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In Aix-en-Provence, France an outstanding house extension works as a vital element on the resurrection of an ancient farm house. Past and present buildings are now connected to the future in a very distinctive way.

The client’s desire was focused on the modern refurbishing of the ancient building facing an olive tree field. In response to such a clear aspiration, a contemporary element was added in order to bring a new identity to the old house. Continue reading

small extension flinthouse 5 - Flinthouse: a Tiny Annex

Flinthouse: a Tiny Annex

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This time I’m going to tell you about a small building… well, not sure if building is the right word for this sweet, tiny home extension. However, let’s see – it has doors, windows, a full-scale double-pitched roof, and oozing with English charm.. So yes: it IS a building!

The Flinthouse is an annex of a private house, situated in Wiltshire, England. The private house is, however, a bit tricky: it is a self-contained wing of the 18th century manor house! So, the task of designing an extension for such an object was not an easy one. All the more so, as the client wanted the kitchen (!) to be located in the new addition. Continue reading

victorian house extension lbmv 71 - Rear House Extension: refreshing a Victorian house

Rear House Extension: refreshing a Victorian house

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The typical Victorian terraced houses in England were built in brick with slate roofs, stone details and modest decoration. Generally built in terraces or as detached houses, this characteristic type of historic architecture was so remarkable and efficient that it influenced the design of the entire British Empire from London to Australia!

The Rear House Extension is a replacement of an existing extension made in the 1980s of a Victorian Semi-detached terraced house in North London. Continue reading

farm house extension dm 9 - Old Bearhurst: bringing ancient brick into a modern era

Old Bearhurst: bringing ancient brick into a modern era

farm house extension dm 1 - Old Bearhurst: bringing ancient brick into a modern era

A sense of historical permanence is always attached to an ancient material like brick…Even more so when an extensive remodeling of a two century old brick house is in need to be done! That’s Old Bearhurst. A converted nineteenth century farm building once used for drying hops is now enriched by a wooden extension to accommodate a client’s growing family. Continue reading

small extension orangery 9 - The Orangery: from darkness to lightness

The Orangery: from darkness to lightness

small extension orangery 4 - The Orangery: from darkness to lightness

When the light strikes over the deepest darkness… Guidance and clearness stand as the most precious values of light even in the architectonic phenomenon! The Orangery testifies such a noble act of liberation. A south London house was “exorcized” from a darken condition that once had turned it into a heavy gloomy place to live.

A new small extension with a total area of 56 sq. m. brought some enlightenment to all its inhabitants! How? In a very distinct way… Continue reading

glass extension villa sk2 - Villa SK: a garden for a living room

Villa SK: a garden for a living room

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An enclosed garden for a living room, framing an ancient walnut tree as a beautiful picture in order to be appreciated from the sofa – Isn’t this an inspirational place to live?

In Graz, Austria a small extension turned a suburban house into a much brighter home. Villa SK benefits now from the attachment of a new glass box addition that serves as an exquisite living room. Continue reading

home extension campanules 7 - Campanules: an architectural surgery

Campanules: an architectural surgery

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Sometimes the human body needs artificial extensions to solve certain disabilities. This operation requires a delicate surgery in order to obtain the most compatible relation between the body and the new addition.

Buildings are quite the same, and the Campanules in Brussels, Belgium, testifies how a small, modern extension can create a revolution in the functioning of an existing house! Continue reading

small extension heliotrope 5 - heliotrope raising: from darkness to light

heliotrope raising: from darkness to light

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The project that I’m about to introduce you to is a testimony of transforming a problem into the starting point of an ingenious solution. In Paris, France, a small house with an area of 60 sq. m. (distributed on two levels) is situated in a backyard site with an exceptionally narrow area.

Enclosed and wet because of the existence of an underground aqueduct, the building is covered in darkness as the nearby buildings and a 20 meters high wall cover any possibility of natural light. So the challenge was to bring this house from darkness to light. Continue reading

house extension ilma grove5 - Ilma Grove House: a positive ecological footprint

Ilma Grove House: a positive ecological footprint

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Architecture based in a more positive ecological footprint is such a fine goal to be achieved! In Northcote, Australia, a small extension of a heritage house shows us how to promote a sustainable lifestyle in a very special way. The entire construction is made to spear waste of energy and material…a true Mother Nature ally. Continue reading