Architects in Tooting
Tooting covers more ground than its reputation as "the affordable one" suggests. Terraced streets close to the Broadway sit within a few minutes of larger semi-detached houses toward Tooting Bec Common. Design United Studio, led by director Jürgen Kuppers, designs for both ends of that range.
One Postcode, Two Very Different House Types
Why a Tooting Extension Depends on Which Half of the Area You're In
A terrace close to Tooting Market suits a different extension strategy than a semi-detached house near Furzedown or Tooting Bec Common. Narrower terraced plots usually call for a side return, while the wider frontages and side access common further south open up options like a wrap-around.
Jürgen has designed across both house types, so the starting point for a Tooting project is what the specific property allows, not a single default approach applied everywhere.
Properties Near Tooting Common Come With Their Own Considerations
Houses backing onto Tooting Bec Common tend to have larger, more open rear gardens, along with real questions about overlooking, outlook and how much a new extension should try to make of that view rather than compete with it.
We treat proximity to the Common as something to design toward, not just a nice view to mention in the brochure.
Planning an Extension in Phases, Not All at Once
A lot of our Tooting clients are first-time buyers, working with a tighter budget than a single full-scope project needs. A loft conversion and a rear extension can usually be designed and consented separately, so one phase happens now and the second follows once it's affordable, without the first phase making decisions that undo the second.
Kirana Laonipon, our Part II architectural assistant, keeps both phases aligned on paper from the start, even when only one is being built straight away.
Wrap-Around Extensions for Tooting's Semi-Detached Homes
Where a Tooting property has side access and a semi-detached layout, a wrap-around extension, using the rear and the side return together, usually makes better use of the plot than a rear-only addition. It's a different shape of project to the terraced side returns further north, and one that suits the wider gardens common toward Furzedown.
A Studio That Doesn't Assume One House Type Fits All
Two People, Every Tooting Project, Start to Finish
Design United Studio is led by director Jürgen Kuppers, a RIBA and ARB registered architect with a background in large-scale projects at Foster + Partners, working alongside Part II Architectural Assistant Kirana Laonipon.
Tooting is one of eighteen areas we cover as part of our wider South West London architects practice, with the same two people on a project whether it's a terrace by the market or a semi near the Common.
Big-Practice Experience, Small-Studio Attention
Our Track Record
2
Hands-On Team
100+
Projects
99%
Planning Approval Success Rate
10+
Years in Practice
What Our Clients Say
"We're a five-minute walk from the market and wanted the build to cause as little disruption to the street as possible. They managed that side of it better than we expected."
"Doing the loft first and the rear extension the following year meant we could actually afford both, instead of compromising on one to fit a single budget."
"Our house backs onto Tooting Bec Common, and they designed the extension to make the most of that rather than ignoring it."
AISHA R.
LIAM D.
NAOMI T.
Straight answers before you call
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from homeowners in Tooting about extensions, planning and phased projects.
