Brick and Oak House
Boito Sarno Architects
Islington, 2025
While Victorian houses traditionally relied on masonry and timber, modern extensions often introduce steel and concrete, driving up embodied carbon. This project reimagines terrace house extensions with a sustainable twist, using timber and eliminating concrete. Foundations are built with reusable screw piles, and a rainwater harvesting pond also serves as a retaining wall. The design showcases exposed timber and demountable connections, promoting flexibility and minimizing waste. Embodied carbon is slashed to just a quarter of standard extensions, and thanks to timber's carbon sequestration, emissions drop even further to 145 kgCO2e/m².
“We absolutely love lounging on our bench by the window with a book in hand, especially when it's raining, and we can hear the soothing sound of water cascading down the rain chain into the pond. We've been spending more time in the kitchen than in the rest of the house — that says everything about how happy we are with it!”
