Midland House, Ilford

The access is via a narrow drive between two existing properties. The gated 3.5m-wide access road extends 28m to the new home and private front courtyard garden.

The ground floor comprises an entrance hall with a toilet/washroom and a staircase leading to the first floor, set within a double-height space; a west-facing lobby wall with large glazing, ensuring ample natural light while avoiding overlooking; an open-plan kitchen and dining area at the entrance level; a living room space separated from the kitchen by a bespoke storage wall; and sliding glass doors and windows on the southern side open to a courtyard garden, bringing in natural light, supplemented by a northern window providing views of the front courtyard. 

The first floor features a naturally lit double-height staircase leading to a central landing; two bedrooms, a home office, and a family bathroom, all top-lit with rooflights to avoid overlooking; three conventional windows in the bedrooms, screened with timber shutters to direct views away from neighbouring properties; and an internal window in the home office offering views of the entrance courtyard.

The design reflects careful consideration of the surrounding properties, including window placements, garden orientations, and potential shadowing. Key design strategies include using the existing building as a guide for the new structure’s volume; extruding the current footprint into a two-storey dwelling; adjusting the southern wall to improve internal space depth; introducing a pitched roof with eaves aligned to the existing outhouse, reducing perceived height and shadowing impact; and balancing internal functionality with external aesthetics, ensuring minimal disruption to neighbours.

The design combines traditional materials with modern detailing. Black brickwork with dark grey mortar and vertical black timber cladding to selected elevations, black stained timber shutters and screens to windows; and a powder coated black standing seam metal roofing. Windows are minimized on the east, north, and west sides, with screening devices for privacy. Larger ground-floor windows on the south façade are shielded with a pergola, while rooflights with louvres provide first-floor lighting.