A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre



This 1950s two-story Lewisham house received a ground-floor rear extension, a first-floor part extension, and a loft conversion to transform this home into a space that provided significant natural and offered generous but private living spaces for a young family.

reflective and bright copper used on the extensions A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Reflective and bright copper used on the extensions

staircase 2 A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Staircase

stairs to the loft A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Stairs to the loft

converted loft space A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Converted loft space

second bathroom A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Second bathroom

The architects intended to develop a highly sustainable design with an architectural sensitivity to protect and enhance the surrounding environment. The use of reflective and bright copper on the extensions created a light and modern addition to the existing building. The choice of said materials provided a dynamic effect by allowing the extension to change over time. By cladding only the loft and first-floor extensions, the overall mass of the extension appeared to be smaller than all the extensions combined. The team approached the construction with sustainability at the forefront, using low carbon footprint techniques such as screw pile foundations and prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPS). The former reduced the amount of concrete required by 90%, and the latter was more energy efficient and allowed a speedy installation process of only five days.

colorful bedroom A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Colorful Bedroom

a view to the bathroom from the master bedroom A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

A view to the bathroom from the master bedroom

bathroom 1 A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Bathroom

shower A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Shower

living room 1 A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Living Room

The interiors create cozy, bright, and warm spaces that use natural materials and muted tones with splashes of color throughout. Specially chosen furniture tells stories of both the owners and designers and highlights their love of texture and vintage items. There was an emphasis on contrasting minimal and structural elements, such as blackened steel finishes for lighting, with the plush, soft and warm aspects of bright velvet fabrics, tactile, unfinished plastered walls and ceilings, and a muted, natural and simple palette throughout the rest of the interiors.

second bedroom 1 A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Second Bedroom

second bedroom details A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Second bedroom details

decor elements A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Decor elements

childs bedroom A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Child’s bedroom

bright and colorful interior A Subtle and Beautiful 1950s House Transformation by Atelier Ochre

Bright and colorful interior

For Atelier Ochre, the Bronze House is the first project designed from concept to completion. Being their own clients was the perfect scenario to explore new methods of construction, different materials, and aesthetics that can be translated into new projects for their clients. “We used this opportunity to collaborate with talented makers and craftspeople while expressing our creativity and experience accumulated from previous practices,” said the architects.

Project by Atelier Ochre

Photography by Inna Kostukovsky