Well Walk

Set on a gentle rise beside Hampstead Heath, this Victorian villa was comprehensively restored and extended over the course of three years. The project preserves the character of the original house while introducing greater light, generosity and connection throughout.

At roof level, a hip-to-gable extension transformed the previously cramped upper floor into a spacious retreat, with new dormer windows framing long views towards central London. The original Victorian staircase was retained as the organising spine of the house, with the new structure carefully reconstructed around it.

Externally, the existing brickwork and lead detailing were painstakingly cleaned and restored. To the rear and side, a pale gault brick extension introduces a quieter contemporary language. Its arched form responds to the proportions of the surrounding Victorian fabric, while the lintel detailing reinterprets motifs found in the original masonry.

The lower-ground floor was excavated to create more generous ceiling heights, a dramatic double-height space and a smoother connection to the newly landscaped terraced garden. At its far end, a new timber studio, stained with green linseed oil, settles quietly into the planted setting.