Victoria Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

Built in the 19th century, this award-winning two-bedroom house in central Cambridge was radically transformed by architects 5th Studio. Its ingeniously manipulated plan has been enhanced by channels of glazing that funnel light into each room; the resulting sense of space and volume belies the modest floorplan. A sublime rear extension opens to the garden, where carefully cultivated plants provide a beautiful year-round backdrop to everyday life. RIBA considers the house "a seminal piece of architecture", awarding it a National RIBA Prize and the RIBA East Spirit of Ingenuity Home Award in 2003, and shortlisting it for the Manser Medal.

The Architect

Founded in 1997 by architects Tom Holbrook and Oliver Smith, B Corp-certified 5th Studio has offices in London and Cambridge. Initially working on small residential projects, as Victoria Street, the practice has since expanded its remit to include much larger schemes, including those around urban design and infrastructure. Frequent recipients of RIBA awards among others (of which Victoria Street was the first), the studio recently undertook the refurbishment of New Court - the Grade I-listed building within Trinity College, Cambridge, where it installed two glazed ‘hanging rooms’.

The Tour

Discretely tucked within a row of pretty terraced houses, this home's Victorian frontage belies its exquisitely modern interiors. Its four-panelled front door opens to a neat lobby, with space for coats and boots.

From here is the airy living room, finished in an elegant, unabashedly contemporary palette. Despite this, hints to its early life remain: areas of white-painted exposed brickwork run adjacent to the fire recess, while window shutters flank the front-facing sash window. Shards of light are cast across the walls and the seagrass-matted floor from the glass landing and skylights above.

There are unobstructed lines of sight to the rear extension and garden through a wide opening. Here, the generous kitchen and garden room unfold; both have been carefully designed to maximise the potential of the long, narrow site. There is plenty of space to prepare food and to store cooking equipment in the kitchen, where runs of white shaker-style cabinetry are neatly slotted beneath birchwood-block worktops on a solid oak block floor. Beyond, dining and sitting spaces are arranged beneath swathes of glazing that flood the room with light. A bay and idigbo yellow-hued pivoting door on the far side open this room to the delightful plant-strewn terrace outside.

The first-floor landing repeats the themes established downstairs with a large glazed floor panel and overhead roof lights. From here are the house's two bedrooms; the main is at the back, with views over the garden's greenery. Here, a bay window with a deep sill is a perfect spot to sit. In contrast to much of the house, the second bedroom is closer to its Victorian origins in design with an original fire surround and floorboards, but reimagined with a vaulted ceiling and mezzanine sleeping platform with another roof light. The room currently doubles up as a study.

The calming family bathroom is also upstairs, including a full-length tub with showerhead above. Tongue-and-groove panelling provides soft texture while a skylight and internal sand-blasted window work in tandem to draw in copious amounts of light.

Outside Space

The large glazed door and floor-to-ceiling windows at the end of the house ensure constant visual communication between inside and out, with the internal plan spilling into the peaceful rear garden in the warmer months. Awash with shades of green and white, the garden has been filled with hydrangeas, strings of climbing jasmine and arches of wisteria. There is a choice of spots to set a table or open a deckchair to enjoy a morning coffee.

At the furthest end, wooden seating is set over a brick-built storage bench against boundary walls, providing ideal space to potter and grow. Flowers burst from the borders and encourage an array of butterflies, bees and birds.

The Area

Victoria Street lies at the very heart of Cambridge, tucked behind Emmanuel College in the sought-after Kite area. The house is close to a wealth of things to eat, see and do, yet is extraordinarily peaceful and quiet. The city's striking historic core and world-class university might have established its international reputation, but newer additions have proven it to be a city perfect for modern living.

Kettle’s Yard, The Fitzwilliam, the Museum of Zoology and the Scott Polar Institute are all within easy reach. The Arts Theatre and Picturehouse Cinema are both a short walk from the house, the latter showing everything from blockbusters to new arthouse releases.

Green spaces are on the doorstep, with Parker's Piece, and Christ's Pieces at the end of the street and Midsummer Common only slightly further afield. The River Cam traverses the city, providing endless picnic spots and punting options. For the energetic, it is also the start of a beautiful 16-mile hike north to Ely.

The city is full of independent retailers, particularly along Mill Road and Green Street, both around 10 minutes' walk. The former is particularly well-known for Asian and Middle Eastern food stores, Italian delicatessens, and Arjuna, an organic whole-food cooperative.

There is a host of independent cafés and restaurants to explore including Vanderlyle, which places sustainability and the work-life balance of its team at its heart. Fine dining is on offer at the two-Michelin-starred Midsummer House and the one-starred Restaurant Twenty-Two. Local food favourites include the iconic Fitzbillies, Parker's Tavern, Bread and Meat and Seven Days. The Free Press entices for traditional ales and Novi for cocktails. For more of our recommendations in Cambridge, look to our residents' guide.

Cambridge Station is less than a mile away - just seven minutes on a bicycle-, providing direct services to London Liverpool Street and King's Cross in around 50 minutes. Road connections are excellent, with the M11, A14 and A1 close by.

Council Tax Band: D