LONDON'S BEST DESIGNED HOME EXTENSIONS

In the current property market, it's tempting to stay put and improve or expand your existing home, so we were interested to see the 2019 results of New London Architecture'sDon't Move Improve! awards, which promotes the work of emerging architecture practices, encouraging the best design in everyday London life.

The competition highlights the importance of innovative, high-quality design in a city where space must often must work twice as hard to suit everyday life (in what is often a less-than generous footprint). So if you're looking for an architect for a forthcoming project it's a good way to see a wide range of work.

Held on Tuesday 22 January, the annual NLA awards ceremony presented prizes for first, second and third overall winners, as well as prizes for Best Interior, Best Historic Intervention, Best Use of Materials, Most Innovative, Most Sustainable and Most Cost Effective.

Here are our highlights:

First Prize

‘The Chapel’ in Southwark, designed by architects Craftworks, was crowned London’s best home extension inNew London Architecture’s (NLA) Don’t Move, Improve! 2019 competition.

The Chapel, a new look family home, is carved from a derelict religious building and includes a new lower ground level for bedrooms, a large ground floor living space with vaulted ceiling, and a mezzanine level inserted as a space for privacy.

The ‘tent’ roof allows for flexible living needs whilst bringing skyward views and maximising daylight.

Best Historic Intervention

This was awarded to Tower House in Islington by Dominic McKenzie Architects

Most Sustainable

This prize was given to Reuse Flat in Hackney by Arboreal Architecture

Alongside the winners, over 130 selected projects are on show at a major exhibition running in the NLA Galleries at The Building Centre, WC1 from 23 January until mid-April 2019.

The winning architecture practices will be on hand to consult with homeowners looking to extend, at a series of NLA Design Surgeries throughout the year – the first taking place on Saturday 2 March. The day will include free one-to-one consultations with featured architects, talks on home design inspiration and practical ‘how-to’ sessions on the process of extending – as well as family walking tours of Bloomsbury and workshops where children become architects by designing their ideal homes.

See the world's most inspiring architectural projectshere.