CONCEPT
The decision has been made to remove the entire cluster of outbuildings at the rear of the house. The main volume (a terraced house with a gabled roof) will be completely renovated. The attic space will be fitted with two new openings: a new dormer window on the garden side will provide a view of the garden and ensure effective ventilation of the new bedroom; a new skylight on the street side will allow in the low evening sun, even into the stairwell.
The office on the upper floor will be relocated to the ground floor. The vacated space will be converted into a bathroom.
On the ground floor, a new lightweight timber-frame extension will connect directly to the existing main volume. It will extend the house to the maximum building depth of 17 meters. The existing cornice height of 4 meters is respected, and the new sloping roof will seamlessly connect to the neighboring house, with a minimum building height of 2.85 meters in the garden. In this way, the extension remains fully within the legal building envelope.
The kitchen and pantry are strategically placed in the corner. This allows them to benefit from maximum natural light and garden views, while simultaneously providing privacy from the street, the access lane, and the neighbors. The sitting area with a stove thereby gains a more intimate character. Adjacent to the kitchen is the dining area, with a large sliding door facing the garden.
The transition to the main volume is marked by a niche and a glazed roof section. A second, informal entrance allows the owner to leave muddy boots behind after a day’s work and take a refreshing shower before dinner.
Finally, a wedge-shaped wall of built-in cabinets weaves the old and new parts together into a coherent whole. It contains access to the basement, the toilet, the boiler room, a buffet cabinet, and a bookshelf.
Respecting an 11-meter building-free garden zone, a new shed is added in alignment with the neighboring sequence of hangars, storage units, and garages.
The volume respects and makes full use of the allowed building envelope.
Its ingenious cross-section reduces its height relative to the existing surroundings. The shed is constructed entirely from locally sourced timber trusses and clad in dark synthetic slates. Four wide sliding doors provide access from the drive, minimizing maneuvering with agricultural equipment. The first bay is fitted out as a covered workshop in line with the garden—a winter garden with a wood stove, complementing the kitchen on the opposite side.