Queensdown Road in Hackney Downs is characterized by an impressive strip of mostly four-storey Victorian terraced houses and apartments. There are only a handful of exceptions, one of which is the site of this project: a large, standalone home built over three levels with an original stable block to one side. The building has remained largely untouched since its construction, having undergone only minor internal modifications.

The bulk of the extension is composed of rough-cast concrete and brick. Given its height above ground, it was essential for the new fabric to possess an appropriate sense of weight; this heavy construction feels both permanent and confident. In contrast, the kitchen extension and glazing are lightweight, featuring large expanses of glass and bright stainless steel windows. While the front facade is fixed and cannot be changed, great attention has been paid to the proportions and composition of the rear, which has been completely remodelled with the view from the garden in mind.

The original house features high-quality construction with substantial timbers and trusses. Where slates were removed for skylights, these structural members have been left exposed. New construction honours the solid scale of the original through heavy framing and thick brickwork, yet it avoids recreating historic textures. Instead, new surfaces are flat and sharp, featuring veneered timbers and gloss-painted ceilings in the ground-floor extension. In the coach house, the exposed timber structure bears on precast concrete beams or timber wall plates supported by original stone corbels. This language of expressed connections—avoiding brackets or complex fixings—is repeated throughout. The changes are legible without being ostentatious.

The project is detailed as a ‘house for life’, designed with longevity and wear in mind. The layout is flexible enough to accommodate future renovations, yet solid enough to integrate seamlessly with the original building.