Notting Hill, London

Location: London
Year: 2020
Client: Private

Adams+Collingwood redesigned the upper elements of the building to allow for a 15% increase in its useable net internal area. That meant rearranging the staircase and replacing the roof with a steeper mansard. Doing so meant gaining full height over the majority of the second floor creating enough space for two generous double bedrooms, an en-suite and a family bathroom.

The new fold in the roof opened up the previously eaves-constrained top floor, while reconfiguring the stairs delivered enough space for an extra two metres in the living room and an en-suite for the first-floor bedroom.

COVID considerations applied to everything from materials to working patterns. All meetings with the clients were held via video call, as were site meetings to discuss project progress and developments. To comply with social distancing requirements, the contractor introduced a rota for his team, so that they could work in shifts.

One of the main issues was the joinery, all of which was due to be made by an Italian company. When that company closed its doors for the Italian lockdown, Adams+Collingwood had to urgently tweak the design. Their changes allowed for a London-based carpenter to come on board instead, building the joinery on site in order to avoid any delays related to ordering and importing items from overseas.

“There was definitely an element of having to adjust as we went along – more so than you would usually expect from a project of this nature. But we didn’t let that daunt us – the focus throughout was on delivering the additional space that our clients needed without compromising either timescales or budget. Ultimately, it was a very efficient project, despite the COVID-related challenges.” – Tamsin Bryant 

Awards:
LABC Building Excellence Awards 2021 – Regional Winner
LABC National Building Excellence Awards 2021 – shortlisted finalist

Advice for Homeowners:
Adams+Collingwood Architects specialise in residential architecture and we have put together a guide with everything you need to know before you begin. Read our homeowners guide to residential architecture here.

If you would like to speak to our team about our residential architecture experience, please get in touch.