The first line of the initial brief from our client, entitled “what do we hope to achieve?”, read,

 “to keep the character of the house, but update it simply and elegantly”

This was our central principle, which we returned to throughout the project.  Respecting the existing, without being too precious. Retaining as much as practicable, whilst working in the spirit of the existing house in a contemporary manner.  The new canopy signals this on approach.

We adopted a playful approach working towards a new (fused) whole. Deliberately blurring new and existing, with the new framing the old and the old framing the new.