St. George Villa

This project transformed a dark, damp basement flat in Walthamstow, north London, into a light-filled home with an additional bedroom and expanded living space. A new extension, connected to the existing house by a glazed link, sits slightly apart from the original structure.

The extension is timber-framed with high levels of wood fibre insulation and small pad foundations. A planted courtyard introduces daylight to the existing rooms, while a rear garden slopes down to floor-to-ceiling glazing that opens the living space to the outdoors.

The south-facing elevation features a cantilevered roof that reduces overheating in summer while allowing passive solar gain in winter. Arched openings, inspired by those in the original building, give the extension a distinctive identity.

Material reuse was central to the design: joinery was made from reclaimed school lab benches, timber cladding came from a Higher-Risk Building, and insulation from a trade show stand. Almost all demolition waste was reused to form gabion retaining walls, diverting 24 tonnes from landfill.

The home is all-electric, using an air source heat pump, underfloor heating, MVHR, a green roof and rainwater harvesting for garden irrigation.

Working closely with the clients, this project has allowed us to test many new, low-carbon, construction materials and techniques.

Architects Journal Small Projects Award, finalist 2026