Dulwich Estate Rear Extensions

This project involved the design of two rear extensions for neighbouring homes within the Dulwich Estate Conservation Area.

Although the houses shared an identical starting point, the neighbours had very different ambitions, creating a unique design challenge that required two distinct responses within a shared architectural language.

Like many houses on the Dulwich Estate, the original layouts no longer reflected modern living. Both homes had small front kitchens and formal reception rooms that felt disconnected from everyday family life. The neighbours wanted additional space but their lifestyles and priorities could not have been more different.

One family wanted a contemporary open-plan home centred around cooking, entertaining and spending time together. Their extension creates a generous kitchen, dining and living space at the rear of the house, with large areas of glazing providing a seamless connection to the garden. Relocating the kitchen to the rear also freed up valuable space at the front of the house for a separate playroom.

Next door, with their children having left home, the couple were keen to preserve the traditional character of the house while gaining a dedicated space for entertaining. Their extension takes the form of a light-filled dining room that feels more like an orangery, with traditional detailing carefully carried through from the original house.

Working within the strict design requirements of the Dulwich Estate, both extensions were carefully designed to respect neighbouring properties while maximising natural light. The result is two very different homes that respond to the individual needs of their owners while sitting comfortably within the character of the Estate.