Selencky///Parsons were tasked with a brief to transform a 1970's bungalow in the Peak District National Park into a striking contemporary home which maximised the property's aspect looking out over the Chatsworth estate. It had to provide an open plan living hub which encompassed living, dining and kitchen spaces which linked to the garden, an art studio and enough bedrooms to accommodate visiting grand children. It was also to be sensitive to its context, both as part of the cul-de-sac within which it sits, and the wider Peak District which it looks out towards. This was achieve through the substantial remodelling of the internal spaces as well as adding new elements including a porch, garden room and dormer window.
The property lacked cohesion, suffered from an awkward layout and was poorly built. A series of previous ad-hoc extensions had resulted in an incoherent roof arrangement, with an uncomfortable composition of varying roof levels and types. A key design move was to unify these elements with a new roof, creating a calm and coherent base form to which new additions could be made. The existing porch was relocated and replaced to create a generous new entrance sequence which flows into the living spaces to the rear of the house. A new garden room was added to connect the house to the garden and provide a space from which to enjoy the views over the surrounding countryside. A new dormer window to the loft opens up the roof space creating an inspirational setting for the art studio. Each of these additions are employ the same architectural language and material palette, with the rear element being more highly glazed to maximise views and light. The front has been designed to be more private and yet still let light penetrate deep into the entrance space.
The walls of the new porch and garden room are formed from Yorkstone ashlar blocks, reinterpreting the random Yorkstone walls of the existing house. Folded aluminium fascias, reference the materiality of surrounding agricultural buildings, and articulate the covered front entrance and the canopy to the rear, tying seamlessly into the roof fascias. Vertical oak cladding and linings to the doors and windows bring warmth and texture and create a link between the outside and inside of the house as well as drawing on materiality of the wider cul-de-sac.
The majority of the existing exterior walls have been retained and reused enabling the carbon footprint of the project to be reduced. This combined with upgrading all of the insulation levels to the building has dramatically improved the sustainability of the house.
Materials used:
- Cast Stone – external walling
- Powder Coated Aluminium fascias
- Tedd Todd – Engineered timber floors
