Shift house is a bold re-imagining of this previously dark and dysfunctional Victorian maisonette. The existing apartment was extensively refurbished and a dynamic 2 storey rear extension added to create an open plan kitchen / dining / living space at ground floor level and a master bedroom at first floor level.

The garden is at an angle to the house and this shift in geometry is playfully exploited throughout the project to connect inside and out. The upper level of the contextual brick extension is aligned with the existing house whilst at ground floor level the extension shifts out to frame the garden area. A projecting Corten steel clad window seat juts out from the bedroom wall above providing a meditative reading nook.

Internally the plan at ground floor level is fully opened up to garden views and a large roof light floods the interior with daylight transforming the main living areas. Creatively detailed Joinery units such as the cantilevered bench seating, kitchen units and storage walls extend the garden geometries into the house and make efficient use of the restricted available space. A finely crafted Valchromat clad ‘black box’ in the centre of the plan houses a concealed sliding door to the living room, WC, utility room, storage and an oak staircase within a unified form eliminating visual clutter.

A carefully co-ordinated pallete of materials, colour and pattern builds on the clients work in the fashion industry who have described their new home as ‘visually stunning and a joy to live in.’