feneley studio

Working closely with the new owners of a celebrated modern house in St Albans, we have designed a series of small adaptations that are important to the daily use of the house, carried out changes to improve its thermal performance, and designed a garden studio for creative activities.  

 

The original house, set around a courtyard plan, was designed over twenty years ago and is a superb example of glass and timber minimalism. The house is not listed, but any interventions required a sensitive approach to ensure that the architectural concept and integrity of the original design was maintained. 

 

Interventions have included replacing the entrance door to improve thermal performance, construction of a micro-extension to house a walk-in shower room, a timber and glass pergola structure to the rear patio, a garden shed and compost area (clad in iroko slats to match existing detailing), new rooflights, and updating the existing energy strategy in favour of more sustainable technologies.

 

The most notable change is the garden studio. Designed as an elegant, modern flat roofed structure to complement the existing house, the studio is of light weight appearance and located in the north-east corner of the garden, away from the main house. The studio is clad in iroko wood and is powered by on-site renewable energy.