ConForm’s Komorebi Extension London: Perforated Floors Cast Dappled Light

ConForm Architects’ Komorebi project in Dulwich transforms a traditional terraced home into a highly interconnected family residence. The design uses daylight as both a guiding element and a material language.

The renovation preserves a distinctive central rooflight and extends the roof void upward. This pushes daylight deeper into the plan, creating a luminous spine that connects the ground floor to the upper levels.

Perforated steel floorplates and open voids make light a visible and audible presence. This shapes how occupants experience space throughout the home.

Concept and daylight strategy

The project, named Komorebi after the Japanese term for sunlight filtering through leaves, puts light at the forefront. By elevating the roof void and reimagining vertical connections, ConForm Architects allows natural illumination to travel beyond room boundaries.

The architecture becomes a living framework where light guides movement and perception. Rather than reclaiming the void for extra floor area, the design prioritizes daylight as a structural element.

Preserving the central void while extending daylight

The strategy maintains the unusual central rooflight and extends the roof void upward. Perforated steel floorplates and deliberate voids allow daylight to reach deep into the home.

Light becomes a material presence—filtered, reflected, and audible as it interacts with the building. This creates a sense of openness without compromising privacy or spatial clarity.

• Perforated steel floorplates act as both structure and light conduits, enabling daylight to move between levels.
• Whitewashed brick lining around the void enhances reflectivity and brightness.
• Exposed concrete frame provides a robust, textural counterpoint to the pale brick and timber accents.
• Open voids visually connect zones and subtly modulate acoustics across floors.

Spatial strategy: layers, axes and family zones

The plan differentiates the original terrace front from a new series of rear spaces arranged in vertical and horizontal layers. An opened axis on the ground floor traverses the central void, connecting the dining, kitchen, and living areas.

A large glass pivot door at the rear lounge opens to the garden, extending living space outward during warmer months. The upper floor is arranged to maintain privacy and function, with bedrooms at the front and a bathroom and study tucked behind.

All upper rooms sit beneath an inverted-pitch roof that creates a light, airy cap over the home.

Connecting floors while preserving domestic intimacy

A timber staircase with open treads and perforated metal landings rises alongside the void. This connects different levels and maintains a sense of family proximity, even when occupants are on separate floors.

The design uses existing split levels to create clear transitions between zones. This ensures the home remains coherent as a family habitat.

• Timber staircase with open treads maximizes sightlines and tactile connection between floors.
• Split-level logic preserves clear circulation and encourages spontaneous family interaction.
• Rear pod room on the second floor provides teenage living space with a generous garden view through a large timber-framed window.

Material language and daylight aesthetics

The material palette reinforces the architectural intent. Pale brick interiors and exteriors, a whitewashed brick finish around the central void, and an exposed concrete frame are used throughout.

This combination creates a luminous environment where light is reflected and diffused across surfaces. The interplay of brick, timber, and steel accents is clear, supporting daylight-driven design goals.

Finish strategy and identity

Pale brick interiors and visible brickwork outside are complemented by raw concrete and timber. This tactile approach supports a calm, breathable atmosphere that is robust for daily family life.

The choice of finishes emphasizes simplicity and durability. Daylight and spatial flow remain the primary experience drivers.

• Pale brick interior and exterior creates a warm, reflective environment that amplifies natural light.
• Slurred whitewashed mortar around the central void enhances brightness and texture.
• Exposed concrete frame anchors the composition with a tactile, industrial counterpoint.

Context and studio approach

ConForm Architects was established in 2017 by Ben Edgley and Eoin O’Leary. The studio explores light, materiality, and spatial connectivity in London.

Their projects range from garden-openings to office interiors in the Smithson Tower. Komorebi is part of this approach, using daylight as a key design tool.

The project was photographed by James Retief. His images highlight how light shapes the architecture.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Perforated floors cast dappled light through London extension by ConForm Architects