Private Client

deDraft were approached to provide a range of designs for a loft conversion to a top floor flat in Walthamstow. The existing first-floor 1920’s Warner flat has an expansive vista out over Lloyd Park (home of The William Morris Gallery), however for much of the year sits discreetly concealed by tall mature trees that line the perimeter of the park.

The clients were clear that such a rooftop intervention must provide a distinctive alternative to the generic loft conversions that currently dominate the park, whilst seeking to integrate well with the existing materials of the immediate locality.

Given the current floor plan, our immediate concern was to ensure that any dormer addition could be offset from the centre of the roof, enabling the new staircase to be stacked directly above the original stair and running along the party wall without being required to step vertically. To ensure this would be considered favourably by the local planners we sought pre-application advice and demonstrated both the visual and functional logic to underpin our thinking.

Our initial explorations saw us draw on the works by Alvaro Siza and Eduardo Chillada as we sought to utilise natural light entering from above through deep, punched roof opening. The openings were irregularly arranged, illuminating the new winding Oak lined staircase. Upon ascending the warm Oak lined stairwell the use of through-coloured plaster, eliminated the need for painted wall finishes providing a warm, textural finish, rich in variation further emphasised by the play of dappled light and shadows throughout the day.