McLaren.Excell Extends A West London Victorian House With Two Monumental Interlocking Brick Volumes

“The project principally involved the building of a rear extension, comprising two chamfered forms nestling together,” explains the firm. Standing in contrast to the dark-painted rear facade of the house, the pale-brick extension lends the new volumes a sense of robustness; accentuated through the rough pointed brickwork, grounding concrete plinths, and slanted windows and doors. “The simplicity of the exterior belies the complexity of concealed structures, interlocking pitched roofs and wedge-shaped walls—all neatly resolved so as not to compromise the purity of form,” they continue. Inside, the two intersecting volumes create a dramatic folding ceiling landscape, with sharp lines and shadows magnified by the incorporation of a large skylight. Throughout, several monumental frameless openings offer views of the back garden.