Blog
NEW BUILD HOUSE IN NORTH HAMPSHIRE CONSERVATION AREA
This house has featured in a couple of our previous posts. Now that the house feels a bit more lived in and the garden is established, we have commissioned some photographs from photographer Lance McNulty.
We took this project on in 2015. The clients had already achieved a planning consent with the help of another designer. The site presented a really good opportunity which we doubted the approved design really matched. We suggested a review of that approved design, acknowledging that this could involve the clients in re-engaging with the planning process and what had been a difficult journey already.
Whilst the built house feels a long way from that original approval, many of its principles were retained as indeed these formed the basis of our planning argument that our scheme should be considered as a ‘replacement’ design. Most of the key rooms- kitchen, utility, main bedroom, sitting room in essentially the same places and with a similar relationship to each other. The front deliberately presents a fairly traditionally conceived appearance thus an uncontroversial conventional feel to the public side, disguising the more contemporary interior and a stepped rear elevation harnessed to the great views on the north west side but seeking to gain from more sun from the south west.
The house, adjoining garage building and garden wall create distinct and separate outdoor spaces (entrance court, kitchen garden, and front lawn areas) and link the house into the landscape.
The interior has an open feel of linked rooms with the staircase at the centre, rising from basement to first floor
The house is conventionally constructed with masonry walls and is designed to meet the AECB standard, which is able to quantify the environmental / energy efficiency specification, (<40 kWh/m2/annum for space heating) utilising Passivhaus design methods. The MVHR system is to Passivhaus standard, and is silent in operation. Considerable attention was to given to airtightness in the build (1.5.ach at 50 Pa).
Design and Construction team
Client- Private
Architect-Noel Wright Architects
Structural Engineer- Andrew Waring Associates
Quantity Surveyor/ cost control- Consultancy 31
Building Contractor- ABS Builders Ltd
Looking back to the original planning consent we feel confident that we have added considerably to what has been achieved with this project. It is no longer a cramped looking cottage. The house is larger and has generous internal spaces that are naturally well lit by daylight. Although the house is mainly orientated for its view, rather than the sun, indoor and outdoor spaces find good opportunity to benefit from the sun throughout the day. The specification is strong from a perspective of perceived quality and longevity, and the building work has been rigorously carried out. We have received a number of compliments that the house feels a really good place to live.