Sobremesa

A playful, curved brick form provides the distinctive architectural response to the constraints of a tight urban site, where sensitivity to neighbouring light, outlook and amenity was paramount. The soft geometry introduces a sculptural quality, carefully managing views, controlling light spill and providing passive solar shading.

Sobremesa House is a comprehensive renovation and extension of a terraced house in South West London, creating a home designed for hosting. The clients, founders of bespoke luxury catering business Opus 11, sought to extend their Victorian terraced home in a way that would honour its original character while adapting it for contemporary family life and frequent entertaining. They were keen to preserve the proportions and detailing of the existing house, while introducing a light-filled, sociable space that felt both contemporary and contextually sensitive.

The brief focused on creating a generous and welcoming kitchen and dining space at the rear, designed to open seamlessly onto the garden. To blur the boundary between inside and out, cobbled external paving was extended into the interior, complemented by a large rooflight positioned above the dining table. Timber fins beneath the rooflight provide privacy from neighbouring windows without compromising daylight, allowing the space to feel open yet protected during gatherings.

The site presented a number of planning and contextual challenges. Set within a tightly knit urban terrace, neighbouring properties extend to varying depths and heights. The design responds with a sweeping curved brick wall rising from a built-in planter, negotiating these conditions with a single cohesive gesture. A key challenge was to create a contemporary intervention that neither overpowered the original Victorian house nor adversely affected the light, outlook or amenity of adjoining properties—a familiar tension in dense urban environments.

The curved brickwork both echoes and subtly subverts the traditional detailing of the host building. This approach allows the extension to respect its context while accommodating generous internal volumes. The form provides passive solar shading to the south, shelters open windows during rain, and enhances opportunities for natural ventilation, resulting in a carefully balanced and contextually responsive addition.