Appointed in 2006 by a design aware client, our brief was to create an exemplary dwelling that embraced sustainable principles whilst providing a family home that reflected the needs of contemporary living.

Our brief was to deliver a dwelling of high architectural merit that achieved the highest levels of sustainability, whilst offing maximum quality and efficiency within a strict budget. It was therefore vital that all design choices were carefully interrogated and sustainable technologies work within the building’s aesthetic and functionality, forming an integrated design solution.

The design of the home is based on an open plan arrangement, allowing seamless flow between spaces that facilitate communal family living. Inspired by traditional home design, which efficiently placed the heat source at the centre of the home, the living, kitchen and dining areas are centred on a built in wood burner, achieving a highly efficient ‘low tech’ heating solution. Large glazed sections to front and rear of the property provide ample daylight to the kitchen and dining areas, and a structural glazed roof light, positioned directly over the dining table allows natural light to permeate from the external deck above.

The first floor accommodates five double en-suite bedrooms and an external deck which is situated within the footprint of the building, creating a secluded and semi protected external space.

The completed dwelling offers both exceptional quality and a unique identity created by the building’s bold yet sensitive response to its context. Most importantly the completed building successfully mixes sustainable design principles with a contemporary architectural approach to deliver a flexible family home for our client.