Victorian House Extension & Renovation | Hackney E5

With three growing children, this Victorian maisonette in Hackney was becoming increasingly cramped for family life. Rather than leaving the neighbourhood they loved, the clients wanted to make better use of the home they already had by creating more space, more natural light and a stronger connection to the garden.

Studio DC Architects designed a carefully considered two-storey rear extension and full refurbishment that transforms the existing layout while respecting the character of the original Victorian building. By extending over two levels, the project provides an additional bedroom at lower ground floor level and a generous open-plan kitchen and dining space above, allowing the home to adapt to the family's changing needs without increasing its footprint unnecessarily.

At lower ground floor level, the extension provides a new bedroom overlooking the garden, allowing each of the children to have a room of their own. Above, a contemporary rear extension creates a bright, open-plan kitchen and dining space that has become the heart of the home. Large areas of glazing strengthen the connection to the garden, bringing in natural daylight and creating a welcoming space where the family can cook, eat and spend time together.

The extension takes its name from its distinctive wedge-shaped form, expressed in standing seam black zinc. While confidently contemporary, the new addition has been carefully designed to complement the proportions of the original Victorian house, creating a striking contrast between old and new without overwhelming the existing architecture.

Today, each of the children has a space of their own, while the kitchen has become the place where family life naturally comes together. More importantly, it has given a growing family the flexibility to remain in the neighbourhood they love, in a home that now supports the way they live every day.