Emerging architects THISS Studio are behind Sunny Side Up, an imaginative house extension in east London's Clapton. The project, a home improvement scheme for the family of clients Jack Munro (product designer and co-founder of design studio Mule) and Domino MacNaughton, was conceived as a 'crafted piece of joinery', its authors write.
Discover Sunny Side Up by THISS Studio
The project's main task was to transform a dark and cramped rear interior area into a bright and expansive kitchen, dining and family space, with a focus on entertaining family and guests around a large table.
The team elevated the interior further through bespoke joinery and a craft-based approach. Meanwhile, the structure's main frame is made from sustainably sourced sapele hardwood timber.
Dan Pope, THISS Studio project architect, said: ‘The project was driven by a carefully selected material palette. We chose sapele wood for its hardness and strength, providing the perfect properties for our assemblage of windows, doors and joinery. Its warm caramel tones and subtle grain, provide the perfect contrast to the shimmering aluminium canopy, or as we like to call it 'the fried egg'.'
'Collaboration is at the heart of our studio. It was a joy to work with Jack and Domino, their open spirits throughout the design process allowed their personality to really shine through in the space. A collaborative approach continued in our relationship with [the main contractor] Fiona of Sail & Sons, who really got behind our playful vision and executed the highest level of craft possible.’
The 'fried egg' is an aluminium canopy over the extension, conceived from research into two key visual references; Sun in an Empty Room, 1963, by Edward Hopper, and A City Garden, 1940, by James McIntosh Patrick. The two inspirations juxtapose and offer a synergy between softness and rigidity, curves and straight lines, which was also a goal here, enriching the space through variety and contrast.
The combination of flowing, characterful shapes, streams of natural light, a tailor-made approach, and sustainable architecture credentials make this a project that truly stands out – and the homeowners agree: ‘We don’t think of our work with THISS Studio as an extension, we instead see how the house as whole – and how we use it – has been transformed. We wanted a home we could enjoy, spread out and host in, with plenty of friends around the table and kitchen. The new bones of the house are the perfect backdrop to busy family life.’
-
This late-night hangout brings back 1970s glam to LA’s Sunset BoulevardGalerie On Sunset is primed for strong drinks, shared plates, live music, and long nights
-
How Memphis developed from an informal gathering of restless creatives into one of design's most influential movementsEverything you want to know about Memphis Design, from its history to its leading figures to the pieces to know (and buy)
-
Aidia Studio's mesmerising forms blend biophilia and local craftMexican architecture practice Aidia Studio's co-founders, Rolando Rodríguez-Leal and Natalia Wrzask, bring together imaginative ways of building and biophilic references
-
Step inside this perfectly pitched stone cottage in the Scottish HighlandsA stone cottage transformed by award-winning Glasgow-based practice Loader Monteith reimagines an old dwelling near Inverness into a cosy contemporary home
-
This curved brick home by Flawk blends quiet sophistication and playful detailsDistilling developer Flawk’s belief that architecture can be joyful, precise and human, Runda brings a curving, sculptural form to a quiet corner of north London
-
A compact Scottish home is a 'sunny place,' nestled into its thriving orchard settingGrianan (Gaelic for 'sunny place') is a single-storey Scottish home by Cameron Webster Architects set in rural Stirlingshire
-
Porthmadog House mines the rich seam of Wales’ industrial past at the Dwyryd estuaryStröm Architects’ Porthmadog House, a slate and Corten steel seaside retreat in north Wales, reinterprets the area’s mining and ironworking heritage
-
Arbour House is a north London home that lies low but punches highArbour House by Andrei Saltykov is a low-lying Crouch End home with a striking roof structure that sets it apart
-
A former agricultural building is transformed into a minimal rural home by Bindloss DawesZero-carbon design meets adaptive re-use in the Tractor Shed, a stripped-back house in a country village by Somerset architects Bindloss Dawes
-
RIBA House of the Year 2025 is a ‘rare mixture of sensitivity and boldness’Topping the list of seven shortlisted homes, Izat Arundell’s Hebridean self-build – named Caochan na Creige – is announced as the RIBA House of the Year 2025
-
In addition to brutalist buildings, Alison Smithson designed some of the most creative Christmas cards we've seenThe architect’s collection of season’s greetings is on show at the Roca London Gallery, just in time for the holidays
