The Old School

SOLID is thrilled to be able to share these stunning images of The Old School. Situated within a picturesque Cotswolds village, the property, as the name suggests, was originally the village school, which had been sub-divided into two residential properties. The Old School had served the owners well for many years, however, with a growing family, the original layout was no longer fit for purpose. The existing kitchen was somewhat convoluted in both shape and layout, for example. The entrance hall was also not in use due to its inconvenient size and the confusing route to the kitchen which the family use as the hub of the home. Finally, the guest bedroom with en-suite bathroom was completely separate from the main house, with access only across the garden, offering no opportunity for integrated living.

SOLID’s Alex Harris worked closely with Architectural Designer Henda Knobel on the reconfiguration and extension of the property. Henda proposed to fill the area between the main house and the existing guest bedroom to the rear of the property, creating a spacious family kitchen. The addition of a new enclosed porch to the side of the property was also introduced. This enables a single point of entry to the property with a doorway directly onto the family kitchen. Henda’s design also allows access to the guest bedroom suite from the kitchen, ensuring a fully integrated living experience.

During the design process it was deemed crucial that the new extension would blend sympathetically with the existing building whilst also remaining secondary to it, rather than overshadowing it. Henda designed the kitchen extension to be glazed at either end, creating a light structure. The glass acts as a frame to the original property, keeping it visible and celebrated.

We love the attention to detail that Henda has achieved. Our steel frame had to integrate into the roof and wall details to ensure it looked elegant and simple in its form. However, tying into three sides of the existing building and raising up to create the wow factor means everything is on show. We worked closely with Henda on the details to ensure we were coordinated. The rear of the existing house also had to be underpinned due to existing shallow foundations and we were also involved in extending the drainage and introducing a new soakaway.

The completed project is a fine example of how existing and new architecture can blend harmoniously whilst making a property better suited to modern family life. Externally the extension’s walls and roof have been clad in Siberian Larch which compliments the warm yellow tones of the existing weathered Cotswolds stone. The silver tone of the larch gives a nod to the local agricultural architecture, notably the farms visible from The Old School. The glazed walls to the extension flood the kitchen with natural light and create a strong visual link between the inside and out.

If your home no longer meets the needs of your family, why not contact our SOLID team to discover your structural solutions.