Emery House
Location: The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Architect: Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture
Date: 2011 - 2012
The property is a small unlisted two storey detached Victorian cottage built in the mid 1870’s and located in a large, secluded and private plot within The Mall Conservation Area. The house has been used historically as an artist’s studio and by boat builders, latterly it was lived in by a retired couple and a range of garages were rented out for storage.
The project was to restore the original house and to substantially extend it to sufficiently meet the requirements of a family.
Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture were appointed in 2011 as architects to secure planning permission including management of the heritage process. The process was speedy and painless with no protracted negotiations.
The proposal consisted of a new extension to the south end of the house, which is in keeping with the existing house proportions and characteristics. On the north side of the property, an existing poor quality lean-to studio extension was demolished and rebuilt in the matching style of the house and south extension.
It was felt that the house and surrounding area does not lend itself to a modern design, therefore the proposed development has been carefully designed to keep the character of the existing Victorian cottage. The house was extended sympathetically by using materials in keeping with the current house and those of the surrounding area (i.e.: London stock bricks, lime mortar, timber sash windows, slate etc). An opportunity was taken in the new work to vary the taxis of the building to provide well-lighted interior spaces, including double-height areas. The proposed design balances the house, and also continues to sit comfortably within the plot allowing maximum amenity space. The clients were project and construction managers.
“Every morning I have to pinch myself to believe that we have such a wonderful house”
– Owner.