Abbey Hill
Abbotts Barton, Winchester
Abbey Hill is a typical 1970s house based on a standard floor plan that was repeated widely across the country with relatively little adaptation to individual sites. Here, however, the house occupies an unusual triangular plot, narrow at the frontage before widening towards the rear garden. Despite the opportunities presented by the site, the original layout made little use of either. The integral garage dominated the front elevation, while the kitchen and dining room occupied the shaded northern side of the house and the principal living room remained long and relatively dark despite its southerly aspect.
The design reimagined both the plan and form of the house to respond more closely to the site. A first-floor extension above the former garage and a modest rear extension provided additional accommodation while rebalancing the proportions of the original building. At ground floor level, the garage became the new kitchen, allowing the principal living spaces to occupy the sunniest part of the house. A projecting bay along the southern elevation draws natural light deep into the plan, while a reconfigured entrance and staircase create a more generous and welcoming arrival.
The architectural language is deliberately restrained. Matching brickwork ensures the new additions remain closely related to the original house, while contrasting brick bonds provide subtle texture and distinction. A perforated brick screen filters light into the entrance while maintaining privacy from the street, and brick walls extend beyond the building to define the entrance sequence, edge the driveway and guide visitors naturally towards the front door.
Together, the extensions and alterations transform a standard house into one that responds naturally to its site, orientation and the way it is lived in.
