A garden of one’s own has always been a hot commodity in London and the lucky owners of lawns are loath to lose them, which poses a puzzle when you run out of room in the house. But with the overheated London market, an extension offers all the joy (and increased value) of extra space, with none of the hassle of moving house.

London architecture studio Hayhurst and Co devised a clever way for their clients to have their cake and eat it by building a secondary garden inside Grain House.

“The idea for a courtyard garden was to bring natural light and ventilation into the centre of the house,” explains Hayhurst and Co founder Nick Hayhurst, who says they’re “thrilled” to see the project longlisted. The courtyard features a brick patio planted with a tree and decorated by a colourful sculpture. “We also wrapped a new staircase to the lower ground floor around the courtyard,” adds Hayhurst, “which meant that going downstairs felt a bit like being immersed in nature and made the space feel large and spacious.”