The brief called for large light bright and well-connected spaces and a basement extension that was well integrated with the rest of the house. In common with many other Fulham basement extensions, the project also included further extensions at ground floor, a pod room and loft conversion alongside complete internal refurbishment. All of our basement projects in the ‘alphabet streets’ have followed this pattern. A major factor in ensuring that the basement extension is well linked with the rest of the house is the location of the stair and whether it is designed as a feature of the house or simply follows the routeing of the existing flights.
In this project, the stair linking basement with the ground floor is located in the heart of the house independent of the current stair flights. It sits as a part of a composition of glazed screens and also gives onto another linking corridor providing access from the front reception room with the kitchen beyond. We have followed similar arrangements in other basement projects in Fulham, and it has always proved successful.
At basement level the layout of rooms sees a large well-proportioned family room giving onto the lightwell with a sense of the garden beyond from the location of the steps linking basement lightwell upto the garden. This arrangement is similar to several other of our Fulham basement projects in Ellerby Street. At the rear of this family room is a kitchenette. In the middle of the plan is the feature staircase which helps bring light down into space and provides easy access to all rooms giving onto the hallway. Adjacent to the stair are three useful ancillary rooms, and these are a large utility room, WC and additional storage giving onto the front Reception Room. The Reception Room itself gives onto a lightwell with Windows and door for light and ventilation. The basement plan, through experience, is efficiently laid out and provides a series of large and light filled rooms all of good proportion. The Ground Floor plan reflects the layout of the basement below. A large kitchen dining room gives onto the rear garden which is accessed over a structural glass bridge.
The link between the street side reception rooms and the kitchen is useful and in its location adjacent to the stair from which it is separated by a glass screen it ensures the middle of the floor plan is a real point of interest in the design. The kitchen and dining room are filled with light from a variety of roof lights and the large glazed doors giving onto the garden. At upper levels within the project, a pod room is added and a loft conversion formed to add additional bedrooms. All are lit with a variety of roof lights.
In our portfolio of fifteen basements in Fulham, this project has developed with the knowledge gained from having completed many of these projects in the ‘alphabet streets’ giving as it does a very detailed insight into the proportions and dimensions of these houses. Working as architects in Fulham we hope to continue to apply this expertise to many further projects.