A small extension at the back of a listed terrace building in Mile End, East London, required excavating into the garden to create a seamless lower ground floor.

The client’s modest budget required some creative thinking, and the need to retain the existing garden fences actually provided us with the concept for the new extension’s cladding. We clad the extension to match these fences so that the extension would instantly blend into its context. The garden would also feel like a “room” rather than leftover space.

A high-spec glazing system provided a seamless connection between the new living space and the garden, reinforced by the way the internal floor finish was carried into the courtyard. A strip roolight washes the side wall of the new living space with natural light, and a successful sedum roof provides a pleasant view from the existing upper ground floor window.

A new wet room was added on the stair’s half landing, and a new full height glazed panel provides a view into the new living spaces as you descend the staircase.