Surrey House

Reimagining a 20th-Century Home

Adam Knibb Architects were commissioned to transform an early 20th-century house with a contemporary extension that enhances both its functionality and relationship to the surrounding landscape. Wrapping around the eastern and southern elevations, the new addition reconfigures the existing layout to create generous, light-filled spaces that the original house lacked while strengthening the connection between home and garden.

Seamless Open-Plan Living

The redesigned ground floor introduces a series of open-plan living spaces that flow effortlessly between the playroom, living room, and kitchen/dining area, creating a flexible and sociable home for modern family life.

Expansive floor-to-ceiling glazing frames panoramic views across the South Downs, while large sliding doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out. Carefully designed hard landscaping extends the living spaces outdoors, creating a transitional threshold between the house and the garden.

Blending Old and New

The first-floor extension takes its cues from the existing architecture, echoing the original gable form to establish a respectful dialogue between old and new. A recessed timber-clad link subtly connects the two elements, preserving the visual prominence and character of the original house while clearly expressing the contemporary intervention.

Materiality and Context

The material palette draws inspiration from the site's woodland setting. Vertical timber cladding allows the extension to sit comfortably within the landscape, softening its presence and reinforcing its connection to nature.

Generous areas of glazing, complemented by strategically positioned rooflights, flood the interiors with natural daylight while maximising passive solar gain, creating bright, comfortable spaces throughout the year.