![The dining room of AC Residence by DeDraft](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2021/04/ac-residence-dedraft-london-residential-architecture-extensions_dezeen_2364_hero-852x479.jpg)
DeDraft expands east London house with weathering-steel extension
Architecture studio DeDraft has updated a semi-detached house in east London, wrapping a three-storey rear extension in weathering steel and introducing large windows that look out onto the garden.
Local office DeDraft was approached to transform the interior and exterior of the four-storey AC Residence in Hackney to make it function better as a family home.
The 19th-century property had previously been divided into two flats, so the architects aimed to consolidate and reorganise the interior to improve connections between the spaces.
![A London extension clad in weathering steel](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2021/04/ac-residence-dedraft-london-residential-architecture-extensions_dezeen_2364_col_17-852x1065.jpg)
"Our first challenge was to design a highly modified, coherent layout to each floor," said DeDraft, "enabling better interaction between living spaces through a more open-plan living arrangement, increasing the passage of daylight to the rear of the lower ground floor."
The floor level at the rear of the building was lowered to provide a sunken terrace and create a double-height dining space within a new, split-level floor plan.
![Weathering steel facade of AC Residence](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2021/04/ac-residence-dedraft-london-residential-architecture-extensions_dezeen_2364_col_1-852x1065.jpg)
An existing outrigger at the rear of AC Residence was updated by adjusting its proportions and wrapping it in a skin of weathering steel, chosen to provide a distinct contrast to the facade's London stock brickwork.
Large windows incorporated into the new elevation echo the proportions of the original building and reduce in size as they rise.
![The large windows of AC Residence](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2021/04/ac-residence-dedraft-london-residential-architecture-extensions_dezeen_2364_col_20-852x1065.jpg)
The architects claimed the scale and arrangement of the openings reference the "quality of space, spatial connections and passage of light seen in Le Corbusier's La Roche House" – a villa in Paris designed by the Swiss architect and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret in the 1920s.
A concrete staircase connects the lower-ground floor with a ground floor containing an entrance hallway, reception room and a second dining area. The monolithic structure connects with another stair featuring a fully plastered, solid balustrade that ascends to the upper three floors.
![A concrete staircase](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2021/04/ac-residence-dedraft-london-residential-architecture-extensions_dezeen_2364_col_3-852x1065.jpg)
Along with the steel cladding, a cast-concrete centrepiece staircase was a requirement of the brief from the clients. The architects worked closely with their chosen contractor, EJ Brennan, to design and fabricate the stair.
The concrete was cast-in-situ and ground back to expose the aggregate mix, providing a subtly textured surface that sets the tone for the rest of the interior.
![A statement concrete staircase](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2021/04/ac-residence-dedraft-london-residential-architecture-extensions_dezeen_2364_col_5-852x682.jpg)
A material palette comprising chalky walls, oak flooring, brass hardware and oversized rugs creates a muted backdrop that allows the clients' art collection to take centre stage.
The rooms feature bespoke joinery and each of the four bathrooms have marble-lined vanity units. The main bedroom suite occupying the first floor includes a dressing room and ensuite with a freestanding bathtub.
The AC Residence project also involved the renovation of the rear garden and a pilates studio that was clad in weathered larch to complement the main house.
![The pared-back living room of AC Residence](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2021/04/ac-residence-dedraft-london-residential-architecture-extensions_dezeen_2364_col_7-852x682.jpg)
Architect Grant Straghan founded DeDraft in 2010. The studio's previous work in east London includes the addition of a green-metal kitchen extension to the rear of a terraced house, and a rooftop extension wrapped in weathering steel designed to match the red brick of its neighbours.
Photography is by Ståle Eriksen.
Project credits:
Architect: DeDraft
Structural design: SD Structures
Building control: ACT Surveyors
Fire consultant: QFSM Suppliers