Parti House, Barnet

The project stemmed from a desire to create a kitchen which better reflected the generous proportions of the rest of the house, and that would be best suited for hosting family and friends for parties.

In the initial stages of the design a strong Parti was developed as an organising principle for the extended and remodelled layout; consisting of a series of axes and counter-axes running through the space and developing zones for circulation vs spaces for activity and furniture. In turn these axes informed a structural grid which is expressed in the construction and detailing of new elements.

An existing conservatory to the middle of the rear elevation was substantially upgraded, and its form, mirrored in a new garden office which looks back at the house across a courtyard. The scheme included the upgrade of an old garage to give the frontage of the house a more considered appearance, influenced by the geometry of the inclined buttresses which frame the main façade.