639 Fulham Road, Hammersmith, London
View along Fulham Road
Nick Baker Architects were appointed to refurbish and extend 643 Fulham Road, a substantial building, with basement, within the Walham Green Conservation Area. The building accommodates a large HMO and is currently arranged with an inefficient internal layout and a series of incremental alterations.
The project includes a coordinated refurbishment and extension strategy, alongside a separate mansard roof proposal, to improve the quality and capacity of the existing co-living accommodation and consolidate the long-term use of the building.
Aerial view of the rear of the site including garden space
A new rear extension is introduced to provide additional ensuite bedrooms and shared living spaces.
The extension is set back from the street scene to ensure it remains discreet within the wider context and is connected to the host building via a glazed link, clearly separating old and new elements. It steps down from the existing outrigger and maintains a subservient position within the rear of the site.
Proposed floor plan
The extension is defined by a restrained material palette, including textured render and simple, well-proportioned openings. Window proportions follow those of the existing building, allowing the new volume to sit comfortably within the composition while remaining clearly contemporary.
Internally, additional bedrooms are introduced alongside shared kitchen and living spaces, oriented towards the rear garden to improve daylight and outlook. The wider building is rationalised to improve circulation and strengthen the relationship between private and communal areas.
Axonometric view to rear garden space and new extension
The rear garden is retained and reconfigured as a communal landscape, with over half of the existing area preserved for shared use. A semi-sunken bin and cycle store is integrated within the landscape and finished with a green roof, reducing visual impact and improving environmental performance.
At the front of the building, unsympathetic later additions are removed, and key architectural features are reinstated, improving the contribution of the property to the conservation area.
Together with the proposed mansard roof extension, the works deliver a comprehensive refurbishment of the building, improving accommodation quality, communal provision, and the overall coherence of the property.
New extension viewed from the garden
Section through existing Building and Rear Extension
During the planning process the team kept a good relationship with the case and conservation officers.
This enabled discussions about the facade materials to be agreed with the conservation officer in detail to avoid later conditions being added. The pink or ‘Copper Blush’ render colour was the subject of much debate.
Whilst the new extension building was similar in its architectural grammar to its heritage protected neighbour, it was also considered to have its own identity. The result is a vibrant extension separated by a glazed volume that acknowledges its alternative use.
Interior view to rear gardens
View from the rear gardens
Fulham Road, London
Client: COHABS London
Project Status: Construction
Budget: Confidential
Team
Nick Baker Architects
Ignacio Calvo
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
Werninck
Structural Engineer
Banfield Wood