We were approached by enlightened clients in Surrey to unlock the potential of a backland site set in the rear half of an existing suburban garden. Their brief was to create a contemporary house for 3 generations of their family.
The design uses the irregular shape of the existing garden to tuck the proposed house into an unassuming triangular pocket to the side of the garden that maintains long views from the main house and allows for future access from an adjoining private road. The proposed house is orientated to minimise overlooking to/from an apartment development to the East and maximizes afternoon and evening sun by opening out into a mature garden to the West.
Our client’s ambition to have a relaxed, informal series of living spaces work well with the asymmetric volumes created. A bespoke glazing system slides open and out of view to create a completely clear 6 metre opening to the garden. This strong physical connection to the garden aims to extend the calm modernism of the spaces out to the mature garden backdrop.
A highly insulated building fabric together with an integrated MVHR System ensures the demand for internal space heating is kept to a minimum. Solar water panels on the roof provide most of the hot water demand and a fully integrated, on site rain water harvester contributes to cold water supply.Integrated rooflights and well orientated window openings combine with high quality LED lighting to minimise electrical demand throughout the house.
The palette of external materials of vertical batten Western Red Cedar and dark grey smooth render subtly blends the house into its surrounding environment, Internally the use of a dark American Walnut, polished concrete, complimented by an off-white / grey wall finish and deep slate grey finish to bathroom areas gives the project a warm material richness requested by our client.
The design uses the irregular shape of the existing garden to tuck the proposed house into an unassuming triangular pocket to the side of the garden that maintains long views from the main house and allows for future access from an adjoining private road. The proposed house is orientated to minimise overlooking to/from an apartment development to the East and maximizes afternoon and evening sun by opening out into a mature garden to the West.
Our client’s ambition to have a relaxed, informal series of living spaces work well with the asymmetric volumes created. A bespoke glazing system slides open and out of view to create a completely clear 6 metre opening to the garden. This strong physical connection to the garden aims to extend the calm modernism of the spaces out to the mature garden backdrop.
A highly insulated building fabric together with an integrated MVHR System ensures the demand for internal space heating is kept to a minimum. Solar water panels on the roof provide most of the hot water demand and a fully integrated, on site rain water harvester contributes to cold water supply.Integrated rooflights and well orientated window openings combine with high quality LED lighting to minimise electrical demand throughout the house.
The palette of external materials of vertical batten Western Red Cedar and dark grey smooth render subtly blends the house into its surrounding environment, Internally the use of a dark American Walnut, polished concrete, complimented by an off-white / grey wall finish and deep slate grey finish to bathroom areas gives the project a warm material richness requested by our client.
All photographs by Andy Matthews Photography
