Hackney Bay House | Material Works

A sensitive, sustainable re-working of a Victorian terrace to create bright, healthy living spaces. Featuring a double height bay and crafted from natural low-carbon materials, the home balances refined design with improved energy performance and a deep connection to organic materiality.

his thoughtful renovation breathes new life into a Victorian terraced home in Hackney, reimagining the previously dark and confined lower level as an expansive, light-filled living space—the new heart of a family home. By lowering the floor, generous ceiling heights now define the kitchen and before rising into a dramatic double-height volume, anchored by a two-storey bay window that frames views of the garden beyond.

Overlooking this space, a mezzanine study offers a quiet retreat among the treetops, creating a layered connection between work and family life. The garden, too, has been gently restructured with stepped terraces and integrated planters, creating a fluid transition from interior to landscape.

At the far end of the garden, a timber-clad studio provides a serene, acoustically insulated workspace for music and creative pursuits. Roofed in timber shingles and finished internally and externally in cork, it merges performance with tactile warmth.

Throughout the project, a palette of low-carbon, natural materials was carefully curated. The rear of the house is rebuilt using timber framing, wood fibre insulation, and reclaimed bricks, while the interiors feature natural lime plaster walls, tinted cement floors, with bespoke joinery and visible structure in English Oak.

Environmental performance has been significantly enhanced with the addition of high-performance insulation, new windows, and a discreet air-source heat pump—uniting considered aesthetics with long-term sustainability.