Stepped Loft

A distinct loft crowns the rear roofs of a Victorian terraced house in southeast London, expressed as a series of stepped brick volumes hosting a new study, bedroom and bathroom. The brief emerged out of two significant post-lockdown changes for a family that was outgrowing their home: the arrival of another child and a permanent shift to working remotely. The massing follows the house’s original L-shape, but breaks down an otherwise imposing volume with brick frames that scale down in increments, pulling out of each other like a telescope, whilst creating apertures for light-filled rooms. The grey brick cheeks of the outrigger, which blend with the original roof pantiles, follow the same stepping logic, articulating a rich texture that cast shadows by day and softly glow at night.