Studio Octopi has overhauled a terraced house in north London, adding an extension that features a three-storey-high window and a two-storey-high pivoting door.

Prior to Studio Octopi's intervention, the Victorian property had been subjected to an extensive overhaul in the 1980s that had failed to resolve the lack of internal cohesion and cramped feel of the living spaces.

The architects – whose previous London projects include a plywood-lined loft extension and a full-width brick and glass addition to a 19th-century house – were tasked with renovating and extending the home to create more generous spaces.

The main alterations included the introduction of a 10-metre-high glass infill extension between the neighbouring property and a reconfigured closet wing.

The extension accommodates a double-height dining space at basement level, with a master suite on the first floor. A void extending up from the dining area is overlooked by a lounge area lined with a glass balustrade on the ground floor.

 "The kitchen and dining area was given over to one floor as the perfect family space but also entertaining area," said Studio Octopi director, James Lowe. "The connection with the perfectly formed patio garden gives this space a broad use and flexibility."

The glass surface, which extends the full height of the new addition, incorporates a pair of minimally framed sash windows that enhance the connection with the outdoor spaces. At the basement level, the window can be lifted to create an opening that leads straight out onto the patio.

According to Lowe, the precise tolerances that had to be achieved so the windows and door would function properly demanded close collaboration with the structural engineer and manufacturer during the design process.    

LOFT风格所营造的合适氛围，应是凸显其个性化的主要元素，以审美角度和构图选材所合成，完美地让两种元素协调而构成。让水泥外观原始的一面呈现出来，将更优胜于常规表现。

崇尚自然之美，迈拓®极简主义LOFT风格整体地面，给人一种空旷、质朴、冰冷、拒绝平庸的感觉，同时又不乏小资情调。它以一种传递轻松空间风格的方向传达给人们，不但视觉更宽广，更和谐，维护了整体构图的协调，更能同时打造属于自己的个性。

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