Clapton Laundry - Hackney2014 - 2015

This project has been undertaken in partnership with Through the Woods. The brief was to completely refurbish a brick victorian warehouse building, which was being used as a house.

A significant part of the refurbishment was to create a new storey over part of the warehouse to provide additional living accomodation and a much needed outdoor roof terrace.

Set behind a row of victorian town-houses in Hackney, London this project presented numerous challenges (such as occupant privacy/overlooking, site access and party wall construction), which were successfully overcome.

To maximise solar gain during the summer, the new extension has been designed to face south with a glazed screen fronting the south facing roof terrace. To minimise summer overheating, a peak to the mono-pitched roof helps to shade the internal space.

Quality of design was the overarching criteria set by the client, and an emphasis has been placed on internal and external materiality. This has included using reclaimed materials, expressing the construction through carefully designed exposed details and respecting the original warehouse features. The refurbishment project also sought to open up previously closed rooms for a more open-plan feel.

With the project now complete, the quality of the internal materials and finishes now form the backdrop to fashion photo shoots.