Emil Eve Architects Completes Douglas Fir Pavilion Extension in London Residence

Emil Eve Architects has finished a new addition to a London home, creating a pavilion-like structure using Douglas fir timber. The project, named Talbot Road, is located in the Highgate Conservation Area at the rear of an Edwardian end-of-terrace house. The extension incorporates a spacious kitchen and a snug area, designed to enhance the connection between the interior and the garden. According to Ross Perkin, director of the architecture firm, the clients sought a modern complement to the existing historical architecture, leading to a contemporary design focused on lightness and integration with the landscape. The layout features a stepped floor that descends from the main house level, allowing views of the garden from both the kitchen and the snug. Instead of walls, different zones are defined by changes in floor elevation, a circular skylight, and a low wall extending from a slender column. The roof structure, made of latticed Douglas fir stained white, remains visible inside, while custom oak cabinetry provides storage in the kitchen. Externally, a large pergola extends from the roof, supported by thin Douglas fir columns on cast concrete bases, providing shade and preventing overheating. The exterior is clad with ridged ceramic tiles containing 50% recycled material, and large sliding windows and doors are framed with slim metal profiles. The architecture studio, established in 2009 by Ross and Emma Perkin, aimed to create a sense of being immersed in the garden rather than merely observing it. The project was recently completed, with photography by Taran Wilkhu.