Paxton Road
Renovation rather than relocation
Paxton Road is a well-established residential street in St Albans, defined by its early 20th-century terraces and semi-detached houses arranged in a traditional dense street pattern. Its proximity to the train station and town centre makes it a popular location for commuters and families, fostering a strong and rooted community.
Our clients, long settled in the area, required additional space to meet the demands of family life. Rather than relocating, they sought to extend and adapt their existing home in a way that respected both its historic character and constrained setting.
Two prominent factors shaped the design: the property’s designation as a locally listed building within the London Road Conservation Area, and the spatial limitations typical of semi-detached plots on the street.
The resulting scheme comprises a series of carefully considered extensions and alterations. At ground floor, single-storey side and rear additions form a generous kitchen and dining space with direct connection to the garden. Light is introduced through a frameless corner window, which defines a small courtyard and creates a striking threshold between inside and outside. A timber window seat wraps the corner, offering both a functional perch and a social focal point within the family space.
The extensions are articulated with tapered white-rendered walls, punctuated by slender vertical slices of glazing. These insertions frame outward views while drawing daylight deep into the interior. Above, shallow pitched roofs introduce a sense of drama and volume, animated by minimalist rooflights.
At roof level, an attic conversion provides a bright, adaptable workspace. Rooflights to the front and rear ensure a balance of natural light, creating an environment suited for home working, study, or flexible family use.
The design balances sensitivity to context with a clear contemporary language, enhancing the home’s functionality while enriching its relationship to the garden.