London. Glass blocks, pink concrete and terracotta tiles reinvigorate a Victorian house

Since 2014, the young studio Nimtim has colored the suburbs of London with its particular brand of low-budget extension. The suburban dimension is the one preferred by the architect duo which works with material and chromatic combinations, composing different patterns – bricks, stones, tile – in a playful and contemporary way, without ever resulting in kitsch.

Their latest project, Unit 4 – The Old Stable House, is located in Stoke Newington in the north of the city. The architects have extending into the rear garden, creating a large open area for the family and introducing a double-height space in the centre of the house, which becomes extremely well illuminated thanks to the use of glass brick.

The project features low-cost but durable materials, more often used in industrial than domestic contexts. The rear wall is made of exposed grey concrete blocks, with a large sliding glass door that opens the house to the new back garden. European oak floors, terracotta tiles and pink concrete floors complete the intervention.

Architects describe the project as “bold and honest in its use of materials whilst retaining a sense of warmth and domesticity which the clients and their young children have embraced”.