A raw steel aesthetic distinguishes a rooftop conversion in north London by deDraft
Providing 24 square metres of extra space at a cost of £60,000, architect deDraft has completed a loft addition for a young family in Walthamstow, north London. The clients, who work in the creative industries, wanted a bespoke addition that would integrate internally with the reinforced concrete structure of their 1950s flat, rather than a generic loft conversion.
Panels of weathering steel, chosen for its raw aesthetic, were folded, placed in position and adjusted to achieve tight joints before being reinstalled and bonded to a lightweight timber subframe. Patination will result in a darker, more burnished appearance over time, corresponding more closely with the retained red concrete roof tiles and deep red brickwork of adjacent properties.
Internally the extension provides a master bedroom, en-suite bathroom, storage space and a sheltered terrace. Space is maximised by the use of stripped back furnishings, including a double-width sliding door at the upper landing which can close off either the bedroom or the ensuite bathroom. A new staircase was stacked above the existing staircase, with the reinforced concrete balustrade modified to suggest continuity.
The space is naturally lit by several rooflights, a full-height vertical slot installed alongside the staircase and glass sliding doors to the master bedroom. The modernist aesthetic acknowledges that of the 1950s flat, which was among those built to replace housing destroyed in wartime bombing.
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