Home Extension, Wychwood Park
26 November 2024
Richard Evans
Director
EHP Ltd were appointed to design a single storey ground floor extension in a courtyard that got very little sunlight and was dominated by a large set of external steps
Picture 01 – The Courtyard before the works were started
We were also asked to extend the first and second floor bedrooms to utilise the underused balcony and first floor bedroom ceiling void. See picture 02
The gable was designed with full height curtain walling, but only the windows from the first-floor bedroom were real, all the windows above up to the apex of the roof were dummy panels. Behind them was a void with no floor, just the first-floor bedroom suspended ceiling. At the rear of this space was a structural wall that supported the purlins with a small hatch for access purposes.
Picture 02 – The Gable before the works were started
We were asked to look at ways of making this space usable and in doing so make the existing first floor master bedroom larger and create a guest suite at second floor level.
Picture 03 shows the former balcony balustrade removed and the new timber and steel constructed second floor in place, prior to the removal of the existing windows and doors.
Picture 04 – First glimpse of the available views in the former roof void
Once the dummy windows were removed, the client could see the views that up until then had been hidden. The property has tall trees on the boundary and all first floor windows were lower than the tree line, but at this height the client was able to see over and above the canopies to the golf course and wider estate beyond
Picture 05 shows the new floor build up in the former balcony area, and you can see the difference in the view
In Picture 06 you can see that the external steps have been removed and the new front wall of the extension has been constructed. The French Doors and Side Lights on the left were removed and used in another location of the house, with this opening being blocked up.
The ground floor is set out on multiple levels, which creates areas with taller ceilings and creates subtle zoning of the spaces, but in the case of the external courtyard it just created an awkward space that was cold, unused and served no real purpose.
Picture 07 – External view of the new extension and Bifold Doors. Here you can see where the former opening has been blocked up and the rear opening widened to connect through to the kitchen area.
Picture 08 is the new view from the existing dining area through to the extension, with stepped access back up to the kitchen area.
The single storey extension has worked brilliantly in connecting all the spaces together and by blocking up the wall into the higher level living room, we have removed the need for steps and made the whole space usable. Due to a lack of afternoon and evening sunlight, this space remains cool throughout the warm sunny days with large and tall bifold doors giving views across the garden and large lantern maximising the available natural light.
Picture 10 – First Floor Bedroom
The First Floor Master Bedroom has become a much more generous size by utilising the redundant balcony, with full height bifold doors and frameless Juliet balcony giving unbroken views across the garden.
Picture 11 – The New Second Floor Bedroom.
The wall that you can see in the foreground of Picture 11 has been opened up with new steel lintels giving the connection into the new room beyond. The large purlins and steel connections are existing but rather than being hidden are now on full show.
Picture 12 – The View from the Second Floor Bedroom
The pictures don’t do this room or the view justice, it really is an incredible space. The house was originally constructed in 2003 and to the think that this view has been available but hidden away all that time and the original house builders missed this potential is surprising. The Wychwood Park Estate is huge and there are several other examples of this house type around the golf course, all with the potential of unearthing this hidden gem.
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