St. John’s Wood basement

We gained planning permission to refurbish, extend and build a basement for this characteristically charming St John’s Wood semi-detached Regency villa. Although not listed, the value of the building to the streetscape and the conservation area required a historically sensitive design to meet the stringent requirements of the planning officers.  

Our aims were the following:

·       Improve the thermal efficiency of the building, 

·       Implement sustainable energy strategies to adapt to a carbon zero future, 

·       Maximise the space for family/social areas. The intention was to open up spaces to ensure that greater lateral space is achieved, 

·       Create connectivity with the garden, both by including an accessible route from the street directly to the garden, as well as creating a closer relationship with the kitchen and dining areas, 

·       Create a self-sufficient lower ground floor by enabling it to convert into a single level living space if required by a disabled person. 

·       Maximise light as much as possible to the interior through larger openings, skylights and lightwells.