In Conversation with YARD Architects

YARD Architects are a London-based architecture studio specialising in private residential projects.

Having recently completed work on The Bermondsey Kitchen, which features a HUSK timber veneer walnut kitchen, we spoke with YARD’s Director, Simon Graham, about architecture, design and the role kitchens play within the home.

For readers who may be new to your work, could you introduce YARD Architects and share what motivated you to start the practice?

Simon: YARD Architects is a small studio started by Simon and Jon in 2013. We are a small, award-winning design practice specialising in private residential architecture based in Borough in London.

We started the studio to create an approachable, experimental, and passionately client focussed practice, with the aim of producing exceptional design-led architecture for all.

How would you describe YARD’s overall design philosophy, particularly when working with compact urban homes and extensions?

Simon: We like to mix a creative architectural approach with a pragmatic, problem solving attitude. It is important to us to really understand the brief and plan homes so they work really well. We want to create homes which are really liveable, but also adaptable to future changes. They have to be inspiring places to live but also practical and sustainable.

The Bermondsey Kitchen project transformed a compact terrace into a three-bedroom home; what were the biggest spatial challenges you needed to solve at the outset?

Simon: The biggest issue was the layout. The original house was very disjointed and did not connect well to the garden. The kitchen was in the basement, the bathroom at garden level next to the living room and the two bedrooms were on the first floor, away from the bathroom. The footprint of the house was very compact, and the house was in a Conservation Area.

The ‘L’-shaped extension and courtyard play a big role in reconnecting the house with the garden. Can you talk us through the thinking behind this layout and how it improved the flow of the home?

Simon: We realised that adding an extension to the back of the house could potentially land lock the basement rooms, removing the ability for some rooms to have a window. So, adding floor space in the garden could potentially mean we lost rooms in the basement.

The L Shape extension left a small courtyard, which allowed us to retain the rooms in the basement and turn these into guest rooms and this is how we managed to add an extra bedroom to the property. Adding an extra room wasn’t part of the original brief but it added value to the house, which made the extension more feasible.

The project features a HUSK kitchen – what initially drew you and the client to HUSK, and did the kitchen influence the wider architectural design?

Simon: We were working to a tight budget, so at an early stage we suggested using an IKEA or Howdens kitchen with bespoke doors. We wanted something that was minimal but materially rich and warm. We have worked with HUSK before and really liked the range of timber veneer doors, which we thought could go very well with the rest of the material palette.

This project combines IKEA cabinetry with HUSK fronts – what attracted you to this approach, and why do you think it’s a smart solution from both a design perspective?

Simon: It was a combination of cost and the ability to customise, to some degree, an off the shelf kitchen. It also meant the kitchen could be delivered fairly quickly and the doors installed later in the project, which worked well with the project programme. The result is a kitchen with really good quality doors and an architectural appearance, without a huge price tag.

Functionality was key for your client, how did you approach storage, durability, and creating a sociable kitchen-dining environment that works day-to-day living?

Simon: The kitchen is a linear run, which creates the most practical kitchen space within the area we have, maximising the space for the dining room. We incorporated a run of tall units at one end, away from the garden, which could house the main appliances like the fridge and ovens, plus a larder to create lots of storage. The rest of the kitchen is then all low level units and worktop space, with no wall cupboards above, to create a real sense of openness as you move towards the garden.

Looking back at the completed project, are there particular materials, design details, or moments within the space that you feel really define the success of The Bermondsey Kitchen?

Simon: We really like the transparent nature of the extension, with the huge picture windows either end of the dining room. From the basement bedrooms and living room you can see straight through the extension and into the garden, which creates some really interesting views from the existing house. Whilst we added space and built into the garden, it actually feels that the outdoor space is larger than it was before and a more integral part of the home.

Finally, for homeowners considering an extension to improve how their property works day-to-day, what key advice would you offer at the early planning stage?

Simon: Set out a really clear brief of what you want to achieve at the outset and think about how you use your home now and in the future. Hire an architect who’s work you like, trust them to challenge the brief and come up with some great ideas, sometimes the unexpected can be the best solution.

Want to see more of YARD Architects or get in contact?

Website: yardarchitects.co.uk

Instagram: @yardarchitects

Studio address: Unit 104, 65 Glasshill Street, London, SE1 0QR