We are_our projects

BBA is currently working on proposals for a two-storey side extension to a semi-detached cottage in a Conservation Area.

Set with within a rural ring village in Cambridgeshire, and adjacent to a listed property, we knew that the extension must sit comfortably with the original house; it must also be an object of architectural quality and interest for the village. The project will also provide a more liveable home, improving the flow and linkages of the internal spaces which have been disconnected over time, through a series of previous extensions.

The design echoes the shapes, proportions and materials of the original whilst being of it’s own era – a truthful, genuine addition. A twisted butterfly roof is derived from a series of simple moves in response to the existing building, the site and the wider context.

The roof appears to rise and fall stepping away from the road – in proportion with the pitch of the existing roofs. A series of steps are carved from the main mass to reduce its overall appearance. A cantilever over the entrance area subtly suggests a sense of entrance. 

A single material is proposed for the extension, a handmade encaustic tile that complements the existing cottage and matches the quality and scale of the original brick. The tile colour – a weathered, de-saturated green – was carefully chosen: the pigment could have been available at the time the original house was built so it sits comfortably alongside the gault brickwork, and it is tonally slightly darker than the original brick, exaggerating the subordination of the extension.

Discover more of our projects.