Danby Street

Maximising height and light for tall parents of young kids in this Peckham refurb and extension

Architect: Susana Sousa Architects
Budget: £200k
Completed 2022

Photography: Adam Scott Images

This typical three-bed Victorian terrace in Peckham, having not been modernised in several decades, required a re-think for a young family. The goal was to create a brighter, taller, free-flow living space in the back of the house, whilst maintaining the structure and character at the front of the house. 

The back of the house was previously a long kitchen with low ceilings and prone to darkness. A new rear wraparound extension opened up the space, allowing for 3m tall doors to let a huge amount of light into the back of the house, opening directly onto the garden.

The structural support for the walls above was cleverly integrated within the floors and wrapped up the outside face of the building above to avoid any down-stand beams and achieving the maximum possible internal head height. 

Subtle retaining walls and planters were used to relandscape the front and rear gardens to better step with the hillside, creating new gardens fit for the younger members of the family to play in.

Bailiss & Co Danby Street Project - photograph of the back of the house.
Bailiss & Co Danby Street Project - photograph of the back of the house.
Bailiss & Co Danby Street Project - photograph of the inside of the kitchen, looking in from the garden doors.
Bailiss & Co Danby Street Project - photograph of the inside of the kitchen, looking at the dining table and chairs.
Bailiss & Co Danby Street Project - photograph of the inside of the kitchen. Looking out the back window onto a sunny green garden. In front of the window is a dining table and chair with a long bench along the edge of the kitchen wall.
Bailiss & Co Danby Street Project - photograph of the kitchen island. I tall gold tap curves into a deep sunken sink in the middle of a marble countertop. behind the Island you can see a window and bi-fold doors open out onto a sunny green garden.

The goal was to create a brighter, taller, free-flow living space in the back of the house, whilst maintaining the structure and character at the front of the house. 

“I really appreciated the commitment to make best use of the existing structure’s good parts- not knocking things down for the sake of it - whilst completely transforming the house: the space, the light, and making the most of every last corner .”

Harriet, Client