Three Bays
Three Bays
Located in Guildford, this project is a comprehensive reconfiguration and extension of an existing home that previously lacked coherence in its spatial arrangement and architectural expression. The brief called for a complete review of the ground floor and a large rear extension that would unify the property, rationalise circulation and create a series of well-connected family spaces. The concept of three stepped bays emerged early in the design process, derived directly from the geometry and character of the existing building.
The house was originally composed of three distinct parts: two symmetrical wings and a fragmented central section. Its façades combined three principal materials – brick, tile and timber all arranged inconsistently across the elevations. Rather than compete with this complexity, the new design distils it into a legible architectural idea. The extension is formed from three brick bays of varying widths, stepping both horizontally and vertically to create a dynamic façade that reflects the building’s inherent character while clearly expressing a contemporary addition.
A rule of diminishing proportions anchors the composition. The largest bay sits to the east, the smallest to the west, establishing a subtle gradient across the elevation. This ordering is intentionally juxtaposed with the detailing of the façade: the smallest bay incorporates the deepest glazed reveals and most pronounced brick steps, while the largest is more restrained. This inversion gives the façade visual drama and creates shifting shadow lines throughout the day, animating the exterior and emphasising the depth of the geometry.
“We always enjoy working with Stylus. This particular project focused on delivering their vision of a deconstructed facade, with floating brick elements expressed as independent forms. Achieving this required close collaboration and a series of bespoke solutions, with each element carefully detailed to read as structurally distinct.”
Adam (Structural Engineer)
Cascading Light
Light is carefully choreographed through the stepped façade and roofscape, changing in character throughout the day. Deep reveals, varying bay depths, and precisely aligned openings create shifting patterns of light and shadow across the elevations, reinforcing the rhythm of the three bays and animating the architecture as the sun moves.
Internally, a sequence of strategically placed rooflights draws daylight deep into the plan. These openings respond to the stepped geometry of the roof, allowing light to cascade through the interior spaces, defining zones and enhancing the sense of depth and movement. Together, façade and roof work in tandem to create interiors that feel dynamic, layered, and constantly connected to the passage of time.
Kitchen as Architecture
The kitchen is conceived as an integral part of the architectural composition rather than a standalone element. Fully designed by Stylus Architects, it is aligned directly with the entrance to the room, where a full-height oak door mirrors the scale, materiality, and presence of the kitchen joinery. While the kitchen is unapologetically modern, the entrance door introduces a subtle traditional reference, creating a deliberate contrast that is echoed symmetrically by an identical door at the opposite end of the elevation, leading to the pantry.
Laid out in a horseshoe arrangement, the kitchen is anchored by full-height units to the east and west, with the island and main work surfaces positioned to the south and east. Dark green cabinetry is offset with oak linings and stone surfaces, giving depth and warmth to the composition. The oak-clad sides unify the joinery with the doors, reinforcing a sense of cohesion and order.
The kitchen sits within a clearly defined zone of the open plan space, framed by the brick spine wall of the house, which marks the transition into the dining area beyond. This shift is further articulated by a long linear rooflight overhead, subtly reinforcing the division without the need for partitions. Designed as part of the original concept, the kitchen operates as a piece of architecture in its own right, structuring the room and anchoring the life of the home.
Brick as Form
A stepped brick façade distils the complexity of the original building into a legible composition of depth, proportion and shadow.
Brick in Relief
The stepped brickwork and precast concrete coping emphasise the undulating façade, creating a tactile surface where depth, shadow and craft are revealed at close range.
Framed Light
Deeply set glazing frames views and light, expressing the solidity of the brick envelope while softening the elevation through shadow.
Hidden Focus
A minimalist oak media unit conceals the TV and shelving, revealing its functionality only when needed, keeping the interior calm and uncluttered.
Choreographed Sightlines
Composed sightlines draw the eye through the extension to the garden, aligning materials, levels, and openings to reinforce the connection between inside and out. A brick pergola punctuates the sequence, framing the landscape and animating the façade with depth and shadow.
Stepped Spaces
The stepped language continues internally, shaping the plan and providing continuity between inside and out. Each bay defines a key ground floor space. Two bays accommodate the main living functions: kitchen, dining and sitting, while the third forms a quieter snug connected to the heart of the home. Repositioning the kitchen at the centre has transformed the flow of the house, allowing every room to relate more naturally to one another and to the garden beyond.
Materiality is kept intentionally simple to reinforce clarity. A pared-back palette of brick, light finishes and a painted white brick spine wall ties the interior spaces together while allowing the stepped geometry to remain the dominant architectural feature. Large openings in each bay maximise light and frame views, with the most generous glazing placed within the smallest bay to create contrast and reinforce the design hierarchy.
