This house is part of a collection of townhouses that lie within the Westbourne Conservation Area. The four-story building, which includes a lower ground floor, was constructed between 1850-1855. A single extension was added to the rear in the 1950s.

Ground floor

The building suffered a fire incident, damaging the lower ground level which housed the kitchen and dining area. This incident triggered a near-total remodeling and refurbishment of the house. London Atelier began by establishing a brief and analyzing the family’s daily routine. Through the conversations, it became evident that members of the family spent the majority of their time in the kitchen preparing food, baking, doing homework, and socializing.

Kitchen

Kitchen

Understanding the general living pattern led to the realization that the kitchen should be central to the home, surrounded by an interconnected spatial layout. Considering the narrow footprint of the house it appeared that the only way to achieve this spatial organization was by opening the floor plates and interconnecting the spaces vertically at different levels. The glass extension at the intermediate level leads directly to the rear garden on one side and steps down to the family room on the other.

Living room

Kitchen

The positioning of the kitchen at this level allows it to occupy a central place within the house, with views into the upper and lower living rooms. The kitchen is a bright, spacious, and sophisticated space with bespoke joinery on either side. This joinery continues down into the dining room, forming a bench and leading to the fireplace. Shelving units occupy one side, while the other side extends into the garden as an external bench with concealed storage. In this way, a continuous line appears to travel through the building, from the rear garden to the front garden.

Living room area

Lower ground floor

Project and photos by London Atelier