Wessex House.
Respectful Modern Extension, Hampshire
Project Summary
Location: Hampshire
Type: Extension To A Listed Private Dwelling
Size: 30sqm
A sensitive contemporary extension to a listed Hampshire home, Wessex House replaces a series of unsympathetic additions with a coherent new form that enhances the building’s character. The vaulted kitchen and living space creates a light-filled, thermally efficient heart to the home, opening onto the garden for year-round comfort and connection.
Externally, the design draws upon the proportions and material tones of the original house, reinterpreted in a refined modern language that complements rather than competes with the historic fabric. The result is a calm, elegant addition that balances heritage with contemporary living.
“The design draws upon the proportions and material tones of the original house, reinterpreted in a refined modern language that complements rather than competes with the historic fabric”
Project Description
Wessex House is a sensitive and carefully considered contemporary extension to a listed home in rural Hampshire. The project replaces a collection of unsympathetic later additions with a coherent and respectful new form that enhances the building’s historic character while meeting the needs of modern family life.
At the heart of the design is a vaulted, double-height kitchen and living space, flooded with natural light and opening directly onto the garden to create a strong sense of connection between inside and out. The new addition is designed to be warm and comfortable through all seasons, with high levels of insulation and carefully detailed junctions that improve the building’s thermal performance and reduce heat loss.
Externally, the extension takes cues from the proportions and materiality of the original house, reinterpreting them through a refined modern language that sits in harmony with the existing fabric. The result is a balanced composition that respects its context without resorting to pastiche.
House Form has been commissioned to lead the project through planning and building control approvals, securing conditional consent for this contemporary yet contextually grounded intervention. Acting as Principal Designer under the CDM Regulations, House Form has established a clear framework for health, safety, and design coordination throughout the project’s delivery.
“A vaulted, double-height kitchen and living space, flooded with natural light and opening directly onto the garden to create a strong sense of connection between inside and out.”