McGarry-Moon Architects updates Richmond Park gatehouse with contemporary extension
Northern Ireland studio McGarry-Moon Architects has renovated a historic house in west London, and added a contemporary timber and concrete extension connected by a glass-lined corridor (+ slideshow).
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_1-852x1201.jpg)
Warren Cottage is a Victorian property situated within the Coombe Wood conservation area in Kingston upon Thames.
The house is heritage-listed due to its former role as a gatehouse to Richmond Park, the largest of London's Royal Parks.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_8-852x1091.jpg)
McGarry-Moon Architects – which previously converted an old stone barn in Ireland into a contemporary home – was tasked with refurbishing and extending the cottage to create a more spacious home.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_slideshow_2-852x609.jpg)
A lack of maintenance had left the cottage in a dilapidated state, so a restoration process was undertaken.
This involved improving the building's thermal performance by adding modern insulation and slimline double-glazed windows.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_0-852x568.jpg)
Rather than seeking to mimic the traditional look of the cottage with the extension, the architects chose to adopt a more contemporary aesthetic.
But they employed a material palette that complements the tones of the existing facades.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_slideshow_0-852x609.jpg)
"The local planning department acknowledged the importance of retaining the existing cottage, and that a new addition could have a contemporary aesthetic but with a delicate and clear separation between the old and new," architect Adam Currie told Dezeen.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_5-852x613.jpg)
The new additions comprise a two-storey extension with glazed walls, connected to a more compact lounge contained in a board-marked concrete volume.
A separate concrete structure houses a garden room looking out onto a small pool.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_7-852x857.jpg)
"The form of the extension seeks to contrast the ornate and traditional nature of the cottage whilst acknowledging that it is from a different time," added Currie.
"This is also echoed through the contrasting use of materials"
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_20-852x1138.jpg)
The extension accommodates a kitchen and dining area on the ground floor, which creates a new communal space at the centre of the reconfigured house.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_26-852x1184.jpg)
Glass walls lining the space incorporate sliding doors that open onto east and west-facing terraces.
The glazing also wraps around the side of the room looking onto the entrance courtyard, where wooden louvres are added to provide an element of privacy.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_27-852x1004.jpg)
A void above the dining area provides a visual connection with a bedroom situated on the first floor, which is fully lined with glass to ensure it retains views of the garden and overlooks the ground floor.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_12-852x543.jpg)
The kitchen and dining room extends into a more intimate lounge area that also opens onto the west-facing evening terrace and looks out on the other side towards the pool and mature trees in the garden.
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_1704_13-852x897.jpg)
A path leading towards the garden room is sheltered beneath a canopy supported by chunky glue-laminated timber beams. The tone and grain of the iroko wood offers a warm, natural contrast to the garden room's concrete floors and walls.
Iroko flooring used throughout the ground floor of the cottage and the extension provides a unifying element between the old and new spaces.
Project credits:
Architects: McGarry-Moon Architects
Structural engineer: S2K Ltd
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_ground-floor-plan-852x840.jpg)
![McGarry-Moon Architects adds concrete, timber and glass extension to a traditional gatehouse](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/08/warren-cottage-mcgarry-moon-architects-london-renovation_dezeen_first-floor-plan-852x840.jpg)