Formwork Architects transforms Edwardian care home into light-filled family residence

Formwork Architects has completed a radical overhaul of a dilapidated Edwardian house in Crouch End, north London, transforming a former care home into a 465 sq m family residence. The project involved substantial excavations and internal reorganisation, including a double-height rear extension and a new bespoke metal staircase. The planning process required careful negotiations with authorities and neighbours due to the property's location in a conservation area and the memory of a contentious earlier proposal. The clients sought a house that could accommodate shifting family demands with separation between formal and informal spaces. The new lower-ground floor houses a kitchen/diner opening onto a sunken courtyard, with the staircase leading to a sitting room above. Original features like the entrance hallway's stained glass and the main staircase were restored. The double-height extension measures 8.2m and overlooks a deep lightwell stepping up into the rear garden. Sliding glass doors and new roof-lights bring in natural light. The staircase, with open treads and timber flooring, is top-lit by a rooflight. Bespoke joinery throughout creates a unifying feel. Nick Learoyd, director of Formwork Architects, stated the material palette was selected to be tactile yet durable.