Focal House

Focal House is a three-storey, Late Edwardian semi-detached family home situated in the Highgate Conservation Area. While some modernisations have been undertaken to the ground floor, the property retains many of its original features.

The spacious entrance hall is a common feature in houses of this period. While it creates a sense of welcome and occasion on entering the property, the space itself was amorphous and the routes into the home unclear.

In-between spaces are an effective way to link and differentiate between separate areas and functions in a home, providing a focus and a moment of pause. YSA created an intermediary threshold space within the existing hallway to emphasise the transition from the public entrance to the family living area beyond.

We began by enlarging the existing opening at the foot of the stairs, which afforded a partial view through the house from front to back. We constructed an offset enclosure around the opening to define and express it. The enclosure was wrapped on all sides with specially treated timber cladding, chamfered for a more domestic feel.

Closing off a second entrance to the back of the house situated underneath the stairs promoted the importance of the new threshold and established a clear hierarchy of entrances. Tapered newel posts at the foot of the staircase signpost the route to the second floor.

Our brief included improving the family living/dining space at the back of the house and creating more breathing space for a dining table. We achieved this by claiming an existing 1.2 metres of decking width to augment the existing extension. Installing full height glass doors flooded the space with natural light and created a visual and physical connection with the garden.

Removing the half wall between the living and kitchen areas further opened out the room. While the extension contains multiple functions, it reads as a single space – a modern and relaxed shared-use room with defined areas for seating, cooking, and eating.

Other modifications include improving the thermal performance of the external walls and ground floor; extending underfloor heating throughout the entire ground floor; upgrading the laundry/utility area and installing translucent glazing in the kitchen window to enhance privacy without compromising light.