Hamilton Road

Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen

Hamilton Road 

Magri Williams Architects

ARCHITECTS
Alice Williams, Joe Magri

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Blue Engineering

PROGRAM / USE / BUILDING FUNCTION
Private Residential

BUILDING CONTROL
Stroma

PARTY WALL SURVEYOR
Stanley & Strong

KITCHEN DESIGNER
Holte

MANUFACTURERS
Forticrete, Hay, Holte, Lusso Stone, Maxlight, Mosa, Muuto, Parkside, Perlatos

CONTRACTOR
Martin Home Renovations

PHOTOGRAPHS
Stale Eriksen

AREA
129 M²

YEAR
2021

LOCATION
United Kingdom

CATEGORY
Houses, Renovation, Extension

Magri Williams has renovated and extended a family house in South London.

Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen

The project was designed to be completed in two stages. Firstly a full house renovation; and secondly, and a year after the completion of the previous stage, a side extension.

The client’s brief was to renovate and enlarge the existing house to suit their growing family.

In addition and in a world with Covid restrictions, they wanted a dedicated study that could be used for home working.

Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen

The original ground floor had a traditional layout, with a front and rear reception room and a small kitchen in the outrigger.

We divided the rear reception room - a space that can often become redundant when the rear is extended, to provide a ground floor shower room, study, and hallway store.

The new extension opens up the back of the house and provides a kitchen and dining room. A fixed window and mirrored pivot door maximize the level of natural light and connect the living area with the garden. Timber rafters are exposed and a large roof light creates a play with light. An internal window connects the extension back to the existing house, framing views of the dining room and the garden beyond.

Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen

The main challenge of this project was how to complete the construction work in two stages. We had to consider the buildability of both phases and review how these impacted each other.

From both a sustainable and budget perspective, we wanted to avoid a situation where new work was damaged or work had to be repeated.

Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen

The first phase of work focused on a whole house refurbishment. On the ground floor, we completed half of the kitchen, leaving the remaining half until the extension phase was completed.

The second phase of work was the side extension. With the clients now living in the house, we essentially constructed the extension and knocked through into the kitchen as one of the last work stages.

Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen

The finishes were chosen to assist the phasing. Large format tiles were used in the kitchen that could easily be extended across to the dining room, and additional timber was purchased in phase 01 so that the new kitchen island and joinery bench could be constructed in matching oak.

The design philosophy takes a less is more approach. The extension walls are constructed from fair-faced blocks externally and internally. .

Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen

Whilst this required a higher level of design, to ensure the right blocks were used and all rafter and lintel details could be hidden, it meant that no internal finishes were required — no plaster, skirting, or cornice, which in turn simplified the construction method and reduced the level of waste

A key material in the project was the exposed fair-faced blockwork walls. Traditionally an industrial material, we were keen to use the supporting material palette to soften the blocks and provide a calm space. We achieved this through the use of oak, which was used for the kitchen and joinery pieces.

Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen


Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen
Hamilton Road
© Stale Eriksen


Hamilton Road
Plan proposed - Ground floor
Hamilton Road
Plan existing - Ground floor
Hamilton Road
Plan proposed - 1st floor
Hamilton Road
Plan existing - 1st floor


Hamilton Road
Proposed rear 3d phase 01
Hamilton Road
Proposed rear 3d phase 02
Hamilton Road
Existing rear 3d
Hamilton Road
Phasing diagram


Hamilton Road
Phasing photographs