London-based architecture studio Material Works has completed a striking renovation of a Victorian home in Hackney, extending the property into its garden with a dramatic double-height bay window framed in natural stone. The project, named Hackney Bay House, transformed what the studio described as a "dark and confined" dwelling into an open, light-filled series of spaces designed for modern family living.
Despite being located within a conservation area, the project was able to proceed because a neighboring property had been extensively expanded before the conservation status was granted, providing a valuable precedent for Material Works to extend their client's home into the rear garden. The design team took inspiration from the visual language of the existing terraced street, conceiving the extension as an oversized interpretation of the bay windows that characterize the neighborhood's architectural rhythm.
"The existing terrace of houses has a clear rhythm to the rear, articulated by large bay windows at ground level," explained Material Works director Dickon Hayward. "Our new elevation reinterprets this, extending the glazing down to the lower ground level, with larger panes and framed in natural stone." The approach scales up this familiar architectural motif to bring natural light and garden views into a new dining area while maintaining visual harmony with the surrounding streetscape.
The renovation involved a complete reconfiguration of the home's lower ground floor, creating a singular living, dining, and kitchen area. The rear portion of this space is slightly sunken to maximize ceiling height and help define different functional zones within the open-plan layout. At the front of the home, an entertaining space overlooks a light well positioned below street level, while the kitchen occupies the central area alongside a timber staircase.
The living and dining area steps down at the rear of the home and expands into a side extension topped with a glass ceiling and the signature double-height bay window extension. This dramatic space is overlooked by a new mezzanine study area on the level above, creating visual connections between different parts of the home while maintaining functional separation.
"The space is articulated with the creation of a new level change and lowered floors increase the ceiling height and provide a generous proportion," Hayward noted. "At the rear elevation, this space opens vertically to create a double height space in front of the new bay window, allowing the daylight to be drawn deep into the center of the plan." He added that the mezzanine level "creates a place for home working, offering a degree of separation and privacy while still being connected to the communal space below and offering elevated views into the garden."
The material palette for the new spaces emphasized natural and biodegradable materials, featuring an exposed timber structure, unpainted natural lime plaster, and reclaimed bricks. This approach aligns with contemporary sustainable design practices while creating warm, textured interior surfaces that complement the home's Victorian heritage. The upper floors, which contain the bedrooms, largely maintain the existing historic layout, preserving the building's original character where possible.
At the end of the garden, the project includes a detached studio workspace and music studio, clad in cork and topped with timber shingles. This separate structure provides additional functional space while using environmentally conscious materials that weather naturally over time. The cork cladding offers excellent insulation properties while creating a distinctive visual texture that complements the main house's stone extension.
The Hackney Bay House project represents a thoughtful approach to extending heritage properties within conservation areas, demonstrating how contemporary interventions can enhance historic buildings while respecting their architectural context. The use of high-quality natural materials and careful attention to proportions and natural light creates spaces that feel both modern and timeless, suitable for contemporary family life while honoring the Victorian terrace's original character.
