25 Middle Street is a beautiful Grade II listed terraced house in the centre of Stroud. The scheme provides a large family kitchen and dining space, utility and WC at ground floor; refurbished bedroom and bathroom in the attic space, and associated maintenance works to the existing fabric of the house.

 

The principle concepts for the rear extension proposal honour the existing house and the context by proposing a volume that sits almost exactly on the original kitchen footprint; minimise harm to the existing house by playing a subordinate role; add value to the existing in terms of design, materials and use; to develop ways to connect the inside and outside realms of the house for maximum benefit of the garden.

 

The proposal is a 'light touch' that seeks to create a scheme of deferential contrast that 'disappears' or 'dematerializes', utilizing reflective and lighter materials (glazed facade, natural zinc) that offset the existing solid stone elements of the house and outbuilding, which are to be retained, seem more opaque and obvious. Internally a subdued palette of materials will be employed with polished concrete, timber, and light painted timber, again to offset the decoration of the existing house and frame the garden views.

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The roofline of the proposed scheme is subservient to the existing structures, defined by a flat, natural zinc, light grey metal roof that creates a clean line between new and old. New windows and sliding doors to the exterior courtyard will have minimal frame depths and coloured to match the roof. New windows in the existing outbuilding are to match those in the new extension in line with the design concept and refurbishment of this existing element. The proposal takes advantage of the level changes across the site linking house and garden with a light grey terrace or 'plinth' that mediates between these two levels and tones in with the roof and windows to create a single element. The 'plinth' creates a level access to the kitchen and a 'stage' to the existing courtyard.

 

Location:  

Stroud, Gloucestershire

 

Site Constraints/Other:

Grade 2 Listed house, Conservation Area

 

Status:       

RIBA Stage 5 Construction