A striking extension of timber and concrete, the design investigates the age old idea of the hearth as the centre of the home. The design of the extension plays with the idea of the hearth as the focal point of a home, using a duplication of this element to create a fluid connection between the garden and house. The concrete chimney duo became integral to the scheme and is a solid sculptural element at the centre of the extension. This is surrounded by a charred larch cladding that seamlessly folds into the pergola and decking, creating a bold and distinctive profile and accentuating the concrete ribbon. The rear glazing is composed of sliding panels with minimal frames offering unobstructed long views through the house to the garden beyond. The massing consciously exploited the stepped terrain along Algiers Road. This gave the design a generous eaves height along the higher boundary, and adhered to the height limitations to the lower boundary, leading to the resulting the saw-toothed roof profile. Inside a warm material palette combined with a series of level changes consciously demarcates the open plan areas; with the deep-blue and polished concrete finishes giving an intimate yet contemporary feel. Photo credit: Ben Blossom