Griffith Avenue House / Courtney McDonnell Architects

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Text description provided by the architects.In 2021, Courtney McDonnell Architects were engaged to work on the renovation and extension of a recently purchased 1950s house on Griffith Avenue. The house required significant upgrading throughout, together with a reconfiguration and extension to suit the client's brief.The original front reception rooms facing Griffith Avenue were preserved and repurposed as a guest suite to accommodate visiting family. A new side extension serves as a link between the old and new, featuring a relocated front door that faces the Avenue (originally located on the gable), a dramatic large roof light, and exposed timber joists that cast shifting patterns of light and shadow throughout the day. This transitional space discreetly houses access to the original rooms, via concealed paneled doors, to a coat closet, guest suite, utility, and WC.At the end of the new hallway extension, a striking white crystal glass door opens into a modern two-story brick extension facing the rear garden. The ground floor encompasses open-plan living, kitchen, and dining areas, while the first floor is dedicated to a master suite. A courtyard on the ground floor draws natural light into the heart of the scheme.Our clients, who had recently relocated from the US, called for open-plan living with a connection to the outdoors, plenty of spaces to entertain and gather socially, a home office, a new front entrance, a master suite, and a separate guest suite for visiting family. The design centers on restoring the property to its original form while introducing a contemporary extension that enhances functionality and aesthetic appeal.