A 1920s London Home Is Revived With a Mint-Green Aluminum Addition

The aluminum extension that architect Grant Straghan designed for the AR Residence in London’s Walthamstow area is as striking as it is durable. "The clients asked us to extend, modernize, and create a bold aesthetic," says Straghan of DeDraft, the local architectural design studio behind the project.

The clients, a librarian and an illustrator, lived in the existing residence for several years before they were ready to move forward with an expansion. When the duo finally decided to renovate the old terrace house, they called on Straghan to add square footage at the rear of their narrow lot. "The house had a small existing footprint," says the architect. "We constructed a single-story addition on the ground floor that meets the depth of the neighbor’s rear addition." A concrete terrace with built-in benches extends to the backyard from the aluminum cladding.

To add interest to the dated brick residence, the creative homeowners specifically requested a flourish of color. After learning about the clients’ affinity for green, Straghan selected a pale-toned paint to decorate the exterior in the residents’ favorite color. The mint-green extension also employs vertical fins that protrude from the aluminum. "We wanted the facade to be more expressive," says the architect. "The fins catch the light differently throughout the day, lending increased depth to the exterior."