A Retirement Gift is a project designed by Vita Architecture. This was a retirement gift from a loving husband to his wife. Photography by Richard Chivers.

Based in Reigate, Surrey the couple asked for a place for them to enjoy their garden whilst they sip their tea and watch the world go by.
Initially thoughts of a traditional extension with pitched roofs and bi-fold doors were suggested by the client, but after several design discussions we were able to develop a proposal that gave them a balcony space instead of a pitched roof which doubled their area and gave them the prime views across the garden to enjoy their tea from.
Downstairs, the idea of bi-fold doors soon disappeared and were replaced with a fully glazed sliding door system with an opening corner. Careful detailing and specifications ensured that a glazed system with only 18mm frames allowed maximum amounts of daylight to flood the interiors.
The result is a glass and aluminium clad extension with an opening corner which blends the interior into the exterior giving them the space to truly enjoy their garden from.