Located in South Cambridge, this subtle yet luxurious home – the renovation and extension of an existing Victorian semi-detatched property – is the brainchild of London architect Neil Dusheiko. The project, named Sun Slice House, was conceived around a meticulously designed extension and includes the expanded living spaces, but also adds a rich garden and a chic private spa in a separate building within it.
The clients spend a considerable amount of time at their residence, as both adults work there permanently and their three children are home-schooled. It's a set up that works particularly well in these pandemic times, when more and more of us seek designs that encourage home-working arrangements.
‘We wanted the extension to feel like it was enveloping the existing home, creating a new layer around the older shell of the house so that they would read together,' says Dusheiko. ‘We also wanted to design the house from the inside out, where the form of the extension would be created by a combination of the solving environmental issues [solar and thermal] as well as dealing with the practicalities of everyday life from parents who work from home to home-schooling children.'
With that in mind, the architects worked closely with their clients to determine the best spatial expression for their needs. Creating a dedicated area for leisure and exercise was key, for example. Dusheiko and his team obliged and drafted a lush, green garden for ample outdoors space (featuring work by landscape designer Jane Brockbank), and created a brand new outbuilding at the back, to house a gym, sauna and spa area.
The minimalist spa annex acts as a ‘retreat' for the parents and offers a much needed breakout area when needed. Meanwhile, a large, open plan family room in the main house is a light-filled flexible space spanning sitting, dinning and kitchen. Timber and neutral colours create a calming and easily adaptable environment. Skylights and expansive glazing bathe the interiors in natural light.
The rear extension features slim, yellow hued, handcrafted Petersen Kolumba bricks, which lend texture and natural tone to the new structure, helping it blend harmoniously with the more natural surroundings of the garden.
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