Australian and Malaysian Heritage Inform This London Home Extension

South London firm Gruff Architects have created an extension to a London family home that draws from their Malaysian heritage and the time the family spent in Australia. An internal courtyard creates an all-season urban oasis in the semi-detached house. The client, a family of three, wanted a design that would remind them of the warmer climate and the kind of outdoor, al fresco lifestyle that they had experienced in their time abroad.

The extension includes a kitchen, utility, and dining space. Study spaces are situated on both sides of the internal courtyard and look out to the garden. In warm weather, the wood framed windows allow for the space to be opened up so cross-ventilation can cool the home.

The materials – natural timber, exposed grey brickwork, pockets of glazing – were chosen to blend in with the natural surroundings so as to create a soft and calming atmosphere. The architects created new openings with glazed partitions to create new entryways for light to flood the house, while a visually distinct pitched roof frame standing atop a full-length flat roof gives the family a chance to see the sky from the dining room.