London’s best home extensions revealed

A total of 37 extension projects have been shortlisted as some of London’s best and most innovative home improvements, for the prestigious New London Architecture (NLA) ‘Don’t Move, Improve!’ competition.

Recognised by Dezeen’s ‘Hot List’ as one of the world’s most popular design awards programmes, Don’t Move, Improve! promotes the work of emerging architecture practices, encouraging the best design in everyday London life. The competition highlights the importance of innovative, high-quality design in a city where space often has to work twice as hard to deliver everyday needs in a condensed footprint. With more people turning to home improvements to get the space they require, this competition cherry picks the best of the best to inspire homeowners.

Significant 2019 trends include indoor/outdoor spaces, use of wood and natural materials, inter-connected spaces, statement ceilings and colourful structures. The most popular boroughs for home improvements within the shortlist are Lewisham, Islington, Hackney, Haringey and Southwark. The most common types of extension are rear and side, with interior refits, as befitting London’s semi-detached and terraced housing.

The shortlisted projects include:

• A zero-waste renovation, reusing old materials and designing for the disassembly and reuse of those materials in the future (Reuse Flat in Hackney, by Arboreal Architecture)
• A converted chapel with enviable ceiling (Chapel in Southwark, by Craftworks)
• A wooden transformation, offsetting a green garden landscape, with timber lined hallways and kitchen, and oak doors (Crouch End House by CBA Ltd)
• A double-height extension with an en-suite featuring open skylight (Dusheiko House in Hackney, by Neil Dusheiko Architects)
• An extension under a driveway, complete with climate controlled walk-in wine room (Highbury New Park by Appleton Weiner)
• A tenth & eleventh floor transformation, proving no matter what type home you have you can improve it, complete with Japanese movable screens (Levels Ten + Eleven in Westminster, by con | form architects)
• A loft library with 40 metres of book storage (Loft Library in Waltham Forest, by Arboreal Architecture)
• An extension slotted between the existing brick walls and site boundary of a former octagonal form synagogue with triangulated roof (Montague Court in Hackney, by IF_DO)
• A self-built extension to a dairy cottage by two brothers, with an exposed timber truss roof extension, evolving from the trees overhead (Scissor Truss House in Lambeth, by Studio MESH)
• A 19th Century water tower with reimagined living space and entrance to refurbished roof-top terrace (Shad Thames Water Tower in Southwark, by FORMstudio)
• A fully utilised lower-ground-floor extension, housing a woodworking studio, study, music studio and ample concealed storage (Woodworker’s Studio in Islington, by Bradley Van Der Straeten)