The Cottage 

A crafted brick extension rooted in the chalk landscape of the Surrey Downs.

Reigate, Surrey 

Living room with large windows overlooking a green yard, featuring a gray fireplace, a leather sofa, two armchairs, a patterned rug, a wooden side table, a floor lamp, and a bookshelf, with a wooden ceiling.
Modern white brick house with large windows and sliding glass door, illuminated from inside, situated in a lush green yard with trees and bushes, under a cloudy sky.

Grounded in Chalk

On a unique site of outstanding natural beauty in the Surrey North Downs, The Cottage extension draws inspiration from the chalk ridges that define the local landscape. The existing house had been altered many times, resulting in a fragmented composition. Our design introduces a sculpted brick form that balances the whole, using deeply revealed picture windows to frame strategic views and create intimate window seats.

View of a modern house with a large window showing a family inside cooking in the kitchen and sitting at a dining table, outdoor garden with shrubs, and a concrete patio.

The new space houses an open-plan kitchen, dining, and family area, crafted from a palette of warm, natural, and exposed materials. The dominant material is a textured, sandblasted brick in a chalk tone, grounding the extension in its setting while echoing the region’s geology and history — from wartime tunnels carved into the chalk to its enduring presence in the Downs. A polished concrete terrace anchors the extension into the slope, with integrated planters mediating the threshold between house and landscape.

Modern white brick house with large glass windows showing interior, green lawn in foreground, and traditional house with mossy roof and leafless trees in the background.

Awards

Shortlisted, AJ Small Projects 2016

Modern kitchen with white cabinets, a large window showing greenery outside, and a wooden ceiling. There are four wooden chairs and a wooden dining table in the foreground.
Modern living room with large floor-to-ceiling glass windows showing a view of green landscape and trees outside. The room features a fireplace, a patterned area rug, two chairs with patterned cushions, and a wooden chair near the window.

Completed 2015
Photography by Daniel Stier