Back To Front House
St Margarets, Richmond
This project is a substantial rear extension to an Edwardian house in St Margaret’s. The brief was deliberately open: our clients were not looking for a stylistic statement, but for a better way of living in their home. We were selected among seven practices to develop a design that would feel generous, carefully considered and deliverable within a tight budget.
The house occupies an interesting position. To the north, it addresses the relatively busy St Margaret’s Road; to the south, it opens onto a garden that connects, both visually and atmospherically, to the quieter landscape of the former Twickenham Park. The project became an exploration of
how to choreograph this transition — from urban frontage to a more bucolic setting — through space, structure and material.
Structure and strategy
A key technical constraint shaped the design from the outset, a public sewer runs beneath the garden. The new extension therefore sits on a concrete slab spanning above the sewer line, supporting a lightweight timber and steel structure.
Given the financial parameters, timber became both a pragmatic and architectural choice. It enabled speed and precision on site, while creating a warm, tactile interior. The structural system is deliberately legible: planes, posts and beams define space without resorting to unnecessary mass.
Layout and spatial organisation
Rather than treating the extension as a single undifferentiated open-plan room, we developed a dynamic and flexible layout. Internal walls fold towards the centre of the house, allowing spaces to expand and contract depending on use. Movement from front to back becomes a gradual spatial experience rather than an abrupt shift.
At the heart of the plan is a vertical timber element: part structural support, part storage, part screen to the kitchen. This central “tree” acts as a pivot for the entire arrangement, organising circulation and subtly separating functions without enclosing them. It anchors the open plan while maintaining visual continuity towards the garden.
Sustainability
The environmental strategy was informed by the AECB CarbonLite guidelines. We upgraded the thermal performance of the existing solid walls with insulated plaster, introduced high-performance new windows, improved airtightness and ventilation, and installed an air-source heat pump. The intention was not only to reduce operational energy, but to make the house more comfortable and resilient over time.
Delivery
The project was completed within budget, working closely with a contractor selected for their experience in timber construction. The collaborative approach between client, architect and builder was central to achieving both cost, control and architectural clarity.
Construction was filmed for a television series, documenting the process on site. Professional photography is scheduled following the completion of the landscape design and final furnishing.
Architect
Unagru Architecture Urbanism
Project year
2025