Category: Case Studies

Four family homes of varying size on a narrow, steeply sloping brownfield site reflect an evolution of house typology responding to the siteʼs historic character. Employing a series of overlapping and interlocking volumes offers a legible, rhythmic, sequence of spaces. Seen together as a single, highly articulated composition, the houses assume the clarity and integrity of a genuine village street.

Design and Planning Process

With a location in a village Conservation Area, the architectural challenge was to provide four family homes of varying size on a narrow, steeply sloping brownfield site. Vacant for 30 years the site’s previous occupant was a petrol filling station and garage.
Contemporary design reflecting an evolution of house typology was a central client objective. Materials and form therefore reflect architectural currency but also respond to the site’s historic character, while providing dwellings that will meet future environmental standards.
The two semi-detached dwellings form a narrow frontage onto Station Road and repair the disconnection of the existing street. Together with local village facilities including a village hall, convenience store, bakery, restaurant, post office and three public houses, they complete an architectural embrace to the village square. To the north and west the site adjoins rear parking courts to adjacent flats. Seen as a new village mews, buildings are set in linear form to create a rhythm along the sloping axis of the site.
Each block contains a visually robust base topped by floating, integrated volumes. These project or recede, in response to the physical needs (shading, shelter, privacy, access to natural light) of the development itself and of neighbouring dwellings.
Accommodation is arranged over three floors with efficient layering of amenity space above functional spaces such as stores and car parking. Garden decks, roof top planting and intimate ground level courts, which are accessed from the main living areas, are irrigated as part of a rainwater attenuation system. These are resource efficient buildings, which harness passive solar gain and have a highly insulated fabric.
Construction of the building envelopes is timber frame. External cladding is a combination of rubble stone, render and pre-patinated zinc. Roofs are single ply PVC membrane, with areas of sedum and paving. Balcony Screens are Iroko and Windows are ‘Velfac 200’. Courtyards are enclosed by rubble stone walls.
Despite the 1 in 10 site gradient, level thresholds and ambulant accessible steps were employed. Inclusive design was ensured through the adaptability of all dwellings and their flexibility in use.
When planning permission for the project was sought, previously obtained permissions for commercial/mixed-use developments had lapsed. The site lies in the centre of a Conservation Area, immediately adjacent to a Grade II listed building and was subject to twelve Party Wall Notices. In addition, Old Farm Mews which provides vehicle access to the site and six adjacent dwellings, was subject to an outstanding Section 38 agreement with Vale of Glamorgan Council and is now adopted.
All of these issues were successfully resolved by the architect and despite the contemporary nature of the design, the project enjoyed the enthusiastic support of the planning authority’s Conservation Architect.

Key Sustainability Points

A holistic approach was taken to sustainability. This vacant, brown-field site situated in the heart of Dinas Powys village provided an opportunity for an infill housing development in an area of high demand. The high-density scheme offers four new houses to support a range of household sizes, ages and incomes. This proposal adds to mix of houses and flats that exist in the village reinforcing the social and cultural benefits of a mixed community. In addition, the new homes are now subject to different tenures of ownership and private rental.

Located on the site of a former petrol station, which had been vacant since 1983, the site is in close proximity to shops and amenities minimising the need for occupants to travel, especially by car. Public transport links are very good, with a bus stop within metres and the railway station a few minutes walk away.

Providing a mix of dwellings designed with flexibility of use anticipates that the occupants will have different needs over time and promotes the opportunity for home office arrangements.

At 70 dwellings per hectare, the density reduces the demand on other land. Four houses of 65sqm, 111sqm, 166sqm and 216sqm respectively give a total for residential accommodation (including carports) of 558sqm on a site area of 507sqm. Attenuation of rainwater run-off via sedum roofs, roof terraces and soak-aways are employed. All houses are metered and dual flush sanitary ware is installed.

New low energy street lighting replaced existing lighting under the agreed proposals for the road adoption contract. Movement within the development is along the current shared surface access with places of refuge provided for pedestrians along the southern edge of the new dwellings.

The quality of the materials employed and the rigorous design, enhance the quality of the environment. The project seeks to be an exemplar of sustainable design from an environmental, social and economic perspective and aims to encourage pride and cohesion in the community.

References:
Jacqui Walmsley RIBA, Studio Walmsley Architects, www.studiowalmsley.com
Karen Hoole RIBA, Hoole Studio, www.hoolewalmsley.com
https://www.ribaj.com/buildings/old-farm-mews-dinas-powys
https://www.eurig.cymru/old-farm-mews-dinas-powys–gorffennaf-2014.html
https://eisteddfod.cymru/sites/default/files/resources/Catalog%20Y%20Lle%20Celf%202014_0.pdf

Design and Planning Process
Silver How is a generous five bedroom home located within the Conservation Area of Llanhennock, a small village near Caerleon. The new dwelling replaces a dilapidated 1960s house that had been built next to an Arts and Crafts stable. Purchased at auction by a family with young children, Silver How occupies a sensitive site, dominated by several large, legally protected, ancient Oak trees.

Hall + Bednarczyk architects were appointed following the failure to achieve planning consent for two previous schemes. To better respect the site, it was considered essential to retain the early 20th Century stable while preserving the oak trees which are an important visual asset to the wider village.

While the new addition is twenty percent larger than the previous dwelling, reflecting the client’s overall programme of requirements, it presents a modestly scaled gable end to the street, where it reads alongside the subordinate stable building.

he 440m2 project was built over a fifteen-month period for a budget of approximately £2,000 per square metre. The design employs a steel frame, allowing a flexible layout to benefit from large spans and slender structure. This frees up an architectural composition which marries the lightness and transparency of modern construction with the permanence and heft of locally quarried sandstone. The skill of local masons was crucial to achieving finely edged stone detailing which aims to bring a contemporary sensibility and overall unity to the design. Framed by the ancient oak trees and retaining the mossy roof of the carefully rebuilt stable, Silver How is immediately established in Llanhennock’s Conservation Area.

Key Sustainability Points
Generous ground floor glazing benefits from the oversailing first floor which provides natural shade for high angled intense summer sun, while enabling warming winter sun to penetrate the ground floor plan. First floor glazing is reduced to avoid overheating. Integrated shading louvres and a flexible system of opening windows, frequently at high level for daytime security, facilitates effective and versatile ventilation.

The new building incorporates a highly insulated, timber-framed envelope fully encasing the structural steel frame of the building. The hybrid design of the wall section enables a sandwich construction that is full filled with insulation and minimises thermal bridging. The incorporation of the service zone behind the plasterboard ensures the integrity of the Air and Vapour Control Layer (AVCL) layer and ensures good airtightness.

The Arts and Crafts stable has a newly constructed roof insulated to current building regulations. Retrofitted wall and floor insulation greatly improve its thermal performance. A ground source heat pump provides 4:1 performance gain for the energy requirements of all the hot water needs, which include underfloor heating throughout.

The elevated site is in an Environment Agency flood zone 1 and is not at risk of flooding from rivers or sea.

Client testimonial from Emma Powell:
We knew we had chosen the right architects for us from our initial meeting will Hall + Bednarczyk. Their vision filled us with confidence and we couldn’t wait to begin. They enabled us to appreciate what we liked and what we really didn’t want for our home. They were thorough in understanding our requirements and how we wanted to ‘live’ in the house as a family with two young children as well as future proofing it for us.  We looked forward to our regular project meetings where Hall + Bednarczyk were keen to listen to us, offering advice and guidance along with constructive challenge, rooted in their obvious expertise and experience.
They made commissioning our own home a painless process and we always felt we were in safe, experienced and professional hands. They selected the right construction company for us and our awkward build site and the whole process was a collaborative team effort.
Our home is now a real showstopper and local villagers are as thrilled with the finished article, as we are! It sits perfectly with in the surrounding area, fitting seamlessly with the natural environment. The quality of design and vision surpassed all our expectations and we now have a home that is a beautiful, comfortable place for us and our children to relax and enjoy.

Client quotes from Grand Designs interview:
‘We were impressed by the quality of their previous projects and they instantly understood what we wanted,’ says Emma, ‘A feeling of light and space was our biggest priority, and in hindsight we are so glad that our earlier schemes weren’t granted planning permission because Hall + Bednarczyk’s design is superb.’
‘As first-time self-builders we were unprepared for the planning challenges, but our architect and builder couldn’t have been more helpful and turned the project around,’ says Emma. ‘Linking the old and new buildings gives real character to the house, and all the little details and quirky touches bring it to life.’
References:
(e.g. project/architect/engineer website)

Hall + Bednarczyk architects website: https://www.hallbednarczyk.com/
Azimuth Engineering: http://www.azimuth-engineering.co.uk/

Planning and Design Process

Meaning

Visually the homes embedded iconography attempts to capture the remote costal nature of the site, the vernacular heritage nearby and the need to respond to the often brutal weather fronts that pass over. The challenge was to create a home that would authentically confront these powerful elements and portray a conscious metaphysical awareness of forces acting on the home. This translates to a confident series of forms and roof planes and a subtle play of authentic materiality, expressed as seams, linings and cantilevers that all capture a certain spirit. The main mono-pitch roof creates a directional low profile defiant form that responds to the relentless wind and rain which blows from the open ocean over this timeless landscape.

Materiality

The heavy enduring material language of the ground floor responds to the medieval tradition of dry stone walling found in the area. Sharply defined portal windows with integrated seating and the solidity of concrete all add to a heightened sense of domicile and protection from the oncoming storms. Living spaces are found at first floor resting on exposed timber beams which themselves learn from the tectonic construction of agricultural buildings nearby. A sound recording studio located within the basement gathers natural light through volumetric skylights level with the external landscape

Structure

The structural logic of the home is a conversation between light and heavy building elements reinforcing a specific atmosphere within. Heavy and protected at ground floor within the bedrooms, light, uplifting and liberated at first floor, with views, light and ocean. This translated into a built reality of in-situ concrete at ground floor and a glue-lam timber frame at first floor that is exposed and experienced. A strong sense of horizontality and directionality is introduced by a timber ring beam separating both floors that cantilevers out towards the Atlantic Ocean. This separating layer symbolically reinforces the building; breaking its mass, creating a lower profile with a confident sense of orientation and purpose.

Layout

The programme responds to the contextual limits imposed upon the site, both pragmatic and poetic. Planning constraints involved the relationship of the home to adjoining owners, window to window distances and dominant views south to the ocean. The position of the house to the east is defined by the existing entrance and the need to provide direct vehicular access to a discreetly positioned car port, this helps ‘push’ the form to the west allowing ‘room to breathe’ between both the proposed home and the adjoining neighbour’s home. The entrance to the home is located centrally and this derives its position in turn from the need to arrive at a key central point within the home at first floor, maximising drama and the views that the main open plan living space provides. The kitchen is located to the east to harness the dawn light, the main living spaces face the views and mid-day sun and the master bedroom is purposefully positioned to the west, facing the setting sun.

Key Sustainability Points

Approach

During the design stage, the architects guided the clients through the complex maze of alternative choices with regard to sustainability, ensuring value and lower running costs – without compromising architectural integrity. Passive strategies were first considered before suggesting technological solutions.

Fabric-first

With a fabric-first approach the architects maximised the performance of the specified components, products and materials that make up the building prior to considering the integration of mechanical or electrical services. This reduced capital and operational costs, improved efficiency and reduced carbon emissions along with reducing the maintenance of the home.

Ventilation

Natural ventilation is encouraged through openable vents strategically positioned on opposite sides of the home encouraging air to and from indoor space working to regulate internal air temperature and bringing fresh air in and stale air out of the home.

Insulation

One of the biggest impacts reinforcing the above strategy was integrating high levels of insulation to reduce u-values on all external elements. U-Glass channels are located to the north elevation to reduce glare and contrast from the large glazed areas to the south.  To counter and reduce heat loss to this façade each individual glass component channel was filled with an Aerogel – Aerogel is among the lightest and most effective insulating materials in the world.

Glazing

The south facing aspect integrates large areas of glazing to maximise heat gain while a large overhang reduces the solar gain from the summer sun – preventing over heating in the living spaces.

In additional to the above, a high-efficiency gas boiler was specified and installed, and the house was designed to achieve a low air test rating.

Photo credit: David Schnabel

Planning and Design Process

Brief

The existing house, which made way for the new dwelling, was centrally located on the plot, cellular and inward looking. Initially a feasibility Study was carried out to determine whether the existing house could be refurbished and altered to suit the family’s brief. However the position of the dwelling on the site together with the desire have an energy efficient home resulted in the outcome of the feasibility study as a replacement dwelling. Early Pre-Application discussions were conducted with the LPA to gauge their positon.

Concept and materials

Conceived as a series of building elements that float and overlap each other, a simple palette of materials have been utilised to construct this new dwelling. A ground floor brickwork ‘garden wall’ that winds inside and out of the house, bringing the garden in, sits under a floating Accoya clad timber first floor. A zinc roof drapes and folds over the central spine of the building, expressing the ‘bones’ of the timber structure that support it, whilst also providing solar shading to the south and protection to the north side of the dwelling. The exposed brickwork wall that weaves through the site and home is a bespoke hand-made blend and the different tones within each brick, reflect and speak to other materials selected for the project. Large extents of glazing to the south and east provide key visual connections to the external landscaping and exploit the benefits of passive solar gain. This 5 bedroom dwelling is extensively automated including a home office, cinema room, gym and play room.

Layout

The new dwelling opens up the landscape by moving aside allowing the creation of a spacious central courtyard which the building carefully wraps around. The family kitchen and dining area, which is linked to the living area by a double sided fireplace, forms the main internal elevation, with a music room providing a bookend to the house, the glazed entrance gallery links the two. The courtyard arrangement allows the family to be connected even when using different parts of the house. Large sliding doors with level thresholds allow the kitchen, dining and living areas to be opened up to the landscape and external dining areas. Passive design principles have played a key role in articulating the form of the building and this provides the tectonic language to the building facades and character. With inspiration taken from the arts and crafts movement, Millbrook House utilises materials in a special way.

Key Sustainability Points

Passive design

Passive design first principles have been key to the development of the scheme, including site orientation, high performance glazing to ‘open’ south facing facades, smaller openings to the north facing ‘barrier’ walls and low air permeability. A ‘B’ EPC rating has been achieved. The first floor has been shifted to over-hang over the main living spaces to create a suitable shade from excessive summer sun. All light and heating fittings are controllable via state of the art technology and wireless systems, to enable the house to adjust to suit different external and internal climates.

Light and ventilation

A shallow plan has been carefully articulated to enable natural light and ventilation to work effectively, dramatically reducing the energy demand on the building.

Materials

Externally the limited palette of material selected includes imperial sized brickwork and Accoya, which has properties that match or exceed those of the best tropical hardwoods and treated woods, yet is manufactured using wood from sustainable sources. These materials are very robust for the site conditions reducing the need to replace materials often and minimal short and long term maintenance is required by the clients.

Water management

A rainwater harvesting tank has been installed for toilet flushing, irrigation and laundry. Surface water is carefully managed and is finally connected sustainably to the stream on the site.

Links

Loyn & Co

Photo credit

Stale Eriksen

Planning and Design Process

Brief

The existing main house was to be demolished and replaced with a contemporary dwelling that responds sensitively yet positively to the site, creating a timeless, high-quality architectural solution carefully integrated into the landscape. A functional brief was provided by the client which identified desirable and undesirable characteristics in order to guide the design, without being prescriptive. Fundamental to the brief was the desire for a low energy, low maintenance, sustainable, lifetime home achieving a high level Code for Sustainable Homes.

Site location

The site lies in an exceedingly sensitive rural location on the North Gower coast, on the edge of National Trust land, occupying an elevated position. It lies within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near to the remains of a Celtic hill fort. The site is remote and is accessed off a shared private track.

Engagement

The architects knew that the project could be controversial, replacing a ‘familiar’ farm house with a contemporary dwelling on a highly visible site in an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ could be met with opposition. The design team tackled this by engaging with the LPA from an early stage to gain their support. They approached as many local groups as possible in addition to presenting the scheme to the ‘Design Commission for Wales’ and the local Community Council. In the case of DCfW following a successful first review the scheme was developed further and subsequently re-submitted. This meant that the planning application was submitted with confidence, however, the proposal was a departure from Planning Policy and a difficult scheme to convey. A vast collection of drawings, models and documentation were produced to cover many aspects of the proposals to communicate the scheme to the public and in particular the lay committee members who would be visiting the site.  These documents included a summary document which explained the scheme in brief from a lay person’s point of view. 

Materials

Principal materials selected for the project were insitu concrete, using GGBS, the only logical material for an earth shelter construction, with elements of Corten and glass. This combination gave the required low maintenance and longevity, whilst providing a raw, honest aesthetic appropriate to the site. Concrete is widely used in the local agricultural buildings, as is rusted metal, which also tones magnificently with the rich brown orange of the surrounding bracken and landscape generally. Having considered the optimum way of building into the hillside, the form has been designed to respond to the fall of the land, and recognising that the new house should respect the beautiful landscape setting; flat ‘green’ planted roofs, which along with improving the insulation also create useable terraces, were logical design decisions.

Concept

The dwelling was conceived as three stepped ‘wings’ set into the landscape, following the contours of the land, with much of the proposed dwelling cut and sunk into the sloping site, reducing massing, visibility and impact. The extensive landscaping scheme provides manicured areas close to the house, including a sunken secret courtyard offering a protected suntrap, with the remainder of the landscape being returned to wild hillside, meadow or heathland. The result is a building that looks remarkably different from the public viewpoint (the adjacent Natural Trust land) and from within the site, the entrance forecourt. These views were illustrated, at design stage, by aerial water colour studies which also conveyed the landscape approach to the scheme.

Delivery

The project comprises a net area of approximately 765m² and was competitively tendered via a single stage tendering procedure, with the winning contractor, Dawnus Construction Ltd being selected and working with the client and design team to agree Value Engineering measures. The finished product is a testament to the strong relationship between client, architect and contractor and is a remarkable achievement for replacement buildings and housing within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and for architecture in Wales. This is a home designed to change, to reflect the client’s changing needs, to settle and mature within its surrounding landscape, and to suggest a new approach to sustainable, site specific, passive design in housing. 

Key Sustainability Points

Credentials

The project surpassed all targets set at the time of the client’s original brief and the pre-construction figures produced by the M&E consultant and Code Assessors. These include achieving Code for Sustainable homes level 5, an EPC certificate rating A, following a 100/100 score and an Actual Building Emissions Rate of -0.46 Kg/m2 against the Target Emission Rate 22.55 Kg/m2. The building uses a combination of a highly insulated fabric including Green roofs and technological systems to achieve its credentials.

Sustainable technologies

Systems such as Photovoltaic Solar Panels, Solar Thermal Panels, ground source heat pump, rainwater harvesting, wood burning stoves and MVHR have all been installed. In addition a low energy LED lighting scheme has been specified through-out and the building complies with the Lifetime Homes Criteria.

Quotes:

‘The aim of the Manser Medal has always been to influence the public to demand, and the mass house builders to supply, better designed homes. I believe by highlighting brave architecture like this year’s winner Stormy Castle we can showcase what can be achieved. This is a bold design in an area of Wales where arguably more conservative design solutions usually hold sway. I was impressed by the sustainability credentials, with a comprehensive range of energy, recycling and heating strategies incorporated into the design, which will be invaluable in dealing with such a large footprint.’ RIBA Manser Medal Chair Michael Manser CBE

References: Loyn & Co

Photo credit: Charles Hosea

Planning and Design Process:

Relationship between new and existing

The relatively narrow residential curtilage of the plot which their existing cottage occupied meant amenity space for both dwellings needed careful consideration, as did the relationship with the existing cottage to maintain privacy. The proposal aimed to revive an underutilized area of the site with a new contemporary sensitively designed sustainable dwelling, exploiting the rural setting and views and designed to meet lifetime home requirements.

Concept

The dwelling’s form, layout and scale evolved entirely in response to the existing cottage, although the character and arrangement of spaces within the new design are handled very differently. The new house is conceived as an ‘upside down’ house. In plan, the existing external landscape taken by the footprint of the new building, is ‘transferred’ from ground level up to the roof, creating a rooftop garden which gives outstanding elevated views as well as replacing the ‘lost’ ground and helping to merge the building into the landscape by providing a continuation to the surface of the site in a truly upside down house. Additionally, the approach of this sensitively positioned and discrete dwelling uses ‘grasscrete’ to create a ‘driveway lawn’. The traditional arrangement of ground floor and first floor accommodation in the existing house is then inverted in the new house, providing bedrooms and bathrooms on the Ground Floor, with direct access to the garden, whilst the open plan living accommodation is raised up to first floor, with access to external terraces. Connections between the ground and first floor were improved by the use of voids, in particular on the north of the building connecting the kitchen living and dining space with the entrance.

Planning process

A robust Design and Access statement was submitted to the LPA however the scheme was recommended for refusal at committee. We prepared a short summary document for the purposes of the planning committee however the committee followed the officers’ recommendation of refusal. The client and planning consultant felt that there was a 50/50 chance at Appeal which the client agreed to proceed to eventually gaining consent one year on from the original planning application.

Layout

The carefully considered interior provides a series of views and spatial connections in and through the building, organized off a double height void, capped with a large strip of roof glazing which drapes light over the virtually solid north wall and into inner spaces at both floors levels. The building interior is legible with clear and generous circulation routes, including a lift, and visual relationships between the main entrance and the principal areas of accommodation. A minimal palate of materials within the interior creates a simple and clean ‘backdrop canvas’ bathed in natural light for the client’s furniture and paintings.

Key Sustainability Points

Orientation

From the outset the dwelling has been designed to take advantage of its orientation, views, natural daylight and the heat gains available in order to minimise its impact on the environment. A highly insulated North facing elevation in line with best practice passive design principles provides an efficient envelope, privacy and security whilst the south facing elevation benefits from solar shading to all spaces.

Ventilation

The ventilation strategy has been designed as a naturally ventilated building utilising the open plan design to ventilate the majority of the areas via large openable sliding doors and an automated roof light, which allow the stack effect and night time purging.

Lifetime home

In addition to the environmental sustainability requirements of the client’s brief there was also a key requirement for a socially sustainable dwelling. The brief was to create a lifetime home that would bring the site into full time use, as such the dwelling benefits from and achieves all relevant lifetime home criteria including: a platform lift; covered under croft entrance and parking; generous circulation spaces and flush thresholds.

Credentials

The dwelling benefits from: a highly insulated external fabric – achieving U-Values such as 0.13 W/m2k for the external walls; timber frame structure; green roofs; solar shading and reflective glazing; air source heat pump providing the main heating and hot water; wood burning stoves and low energy LED lighting with intelligent controls, all contributing to a Code for Sustainable Homes rating of 3. The design has achieved an EPC rating of B with an overall score of 83/100 which is considered to be relatively high without the input of photovoltaic or solar thermal systems. With a highly exposed location, high quality and sustainable materials such as ‘Accoya’ timber cladding and aluminium glazing were carefully considered and selected which, together with the low air permeability achieved, limit the external influences on the dwelling’s fabric.

Quote

“A lifetime ambition has been fulfilled. The architects were perfect for the job, they listened carefully to what we wanted but incorporated their own ideas into the brief. The house is much better because of that. We love the house, it is beautiful, (some say stunning) easy to maintain and with glorious views from every aspect. The views over fields, towns, the Bristol Chanel and Somerset in the distance make us feel very privileged. The house is light, warm, cost effective and feels very welcoming.  Totally suitable for a lifetime home and we continue to receive support from the firm” Client testimonial

Links

Loyn & Co.

Photo credit: Charles Hosea

Design Process

Policy designation

As a result of the site’s location within a Conservation Area, the local planning authority favoured a response that included a pitched roof and either stone or rendered walls. The original scheme submitted for planning consent detailed a pitched roof on the two-storey wing and a flat “green roof” on the single-storey element. This flat roof to the single-storey element was designed specifically to protect unobstructed views from the ground floor rooms of the terraced housing opposite. The local planning authority refused the initial application on the grounds that there was too much glazing and that the flat roof did not fit within the Conservation Area. Following further discussion, a revised application with pitched roofs throughout the scheme was submitted and approved.

Materials

As a result of tight vehicular access to the site it was unlikely that deliveries of brick or block for traditional masonry would be possible. Therefore, at an early stage of the design process it was decided to use a steel frame with light timber infill and flush external panels. Such a design would have an affinity with the painted rendered walls of the neighbouring properties. The frame used for Ty Brombil is in fact similar to those produced for industrial and farm use in the local area. The glazing is of two types, aluminium framed double glazing and direct glazing to the steel frame.

Layout

The plan is divided into two distinct elements, a two-storey area for daytime use and a single-storey bedroom wing. The kitchen and living/dining space occupy the ground floor of the main two-storey area, with a sun room above. The ground floor opens to the outside with two sets of folding doors accessed through a double height conservatory space. The external form has been designed to create a distinct articulation between the two elements and this approach successfully maintains the roof at the domestic scale of the surrounding buildings.

Sustainability Credentials

Location

The building has been located on an awkward brownfield site and as such makes excellent use of land. It is also located in the town centre allowing easy access to local shops and services. Local contractors were used for the construction and erection of the steel frame.

Passive solar gain

Ty Brombil incorporates a double height conservatory and this provides passive heat gain in the three coldest months, whilst in warm weather it can be opened up fully to allow air flow.

Design Process

Concept

The architectural concept reflects the underlying social philosophy of the scheme where a holistic approach to the type of care delivered is adopted to encourage self reliance among residents and clients from the community. Emphasis is placed on rehabilitation and confidence building in an informal environment, in this progressive model for ‘extra care assisted living’. Integration of accommodation and facilities will form the basis of future developments in the area to provide high quality affordable housing and important community resources. The scheme reflects a commitment by Gwalia Housing Group to keep running costs for tenants at affordable levels, through an environmentally sustainable approach to development.

Delivery

A stakeholder panel was established to drive the project development stages including the design stage. This panel included representatives from Social Services, Housing, Occupational Therapy, Day Care and local authority architects. The panel was also responsible for designing arrangements for long-term management including a Management Agreement, Service Level Agreement and the structure of an inter-agency Management Group. Residents of Gwalia’s existing Extra Care scheme at Llys y Werin, Gorseinon, were consulted for their views at the planning stage. Elderly people from the local community are actively involved in the project, either living in the scheme or attending the Day Centre. User groups have been established to continue to monitor the scheme and inform future plans. The design was developed in consultation with South Wales Police and the scheme is ‘Secured by Design’ certified.

Sustainability Credentials 

Passive solar gain

The central glass garden provides the architectural and social focal point of the building and acts as a passive solar collector. Preheated air is ducted from the glass garden and distributed throughout communal areas contributing to background heating. This passive solar design allows the glass garden to be enjoyed by users and residents throughout the year.

Materials

The building fabric comprises high performance 140mm stud timber frame, breathing wall construction with recycled cellulose insulation, over-clad with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified timber cladding. The timber is highly durable and provides a zero maintenance finish externally. Openings incorporate high performance windows and doors with Low-E glazed argon-filled double glazing units. Joinery units are aluminium/timber composites, further contributing to the low maintenance characteristic of the building fabric. For the majority of the building fabric, materials and labour were supplied locally or from the South Wales area including the timber frame, the majority of cladding, insulation, roof finishes, curtain wall glazing, sun pipes, bio-mass plant and solar installations.

Sustainable energy

Heating and hot water is provided via a community heating system powered by twin Bio-mass 93KW boilers, fuelled from a locally procured fuel source. This form of heating is recognised as producing zero carbon emissions. Secondary heating is derived from solar heating arrays which assist water heating. The solar panels are designed to contribute between 60%-70% of the schemes average hot water requirement through the year. In combination, these features enable residents to derive all heating and hot water requirements with average fuel bills of just £5.44 per week.

Sustainable technology

The design allows for photo-voltaic arrays distributed across roof finishes to power passive ventilation systems. The glass garden acts as a sunspace, providing useful solar gain and passive ventilation with heat recovery systems maximising the benefit of the preheated air. The lighting design incorporates a high proportion of energy efficient fittings and responsive controls in addition to the extensive use of roof lights and sun pipes to maximise natural light throughout.

Planning and Design Process

Planning process

The site previously contained lock up garages, an orchard and pigsty. It was purchased with outline permission for two detached homes and came with two acres of agricultural land behind. A full application was made for two homes of the same design with handed plans. It received an extremely positive officer’s report and after a site visit by the committee, the application was passed. The site was then split and the other plot sold.

Design

Visually and structurally the house is defined by two super insulated bookend walls that support a pre stressed concrete plank first floor. This arrangement allows the internal spaces to run the full width of the house as well as providing a large amount of useful thermal mass. A discrete buttress and series of cross walls provide lateral stability, allowing the two ends to be infill panels; the front of timber framing with oak cladding, and the rear almost entirely glazed.

Light

The staircase is located in a triple height hallway, which is filled with daylight from two full height slot windows. Curved walls internally help maximise the flow of natural light, and echo the form of the garden retaining walls and the curved straw bale wall of the adjacent workshop.

Glazing

The southerly glazed end forms a sunspace, contributing passive solar heating to the house. The two double glazed screens of the sunspace effectively provide quadruple glazing to the interior. The largest window is formed from three frameless panels, providing an ever changing triptych of the mountain and sky, punctuated by paragliders on sunny days and bats on a Summer evening.

Materials

Internally, natural materials have been used throughout. The side walls, which have 300mm of cavity insulation, are designed to be breathable through the use of lime render externally and clay paint on lime plaster internally. The flooring is oak and Welsh slate on the ground floor, and cork on the upper floor. Reclaimed Welsh slate forms the hearth, reclaimed planks are the floor the sunspace balcony and hallway bridge, and ‘off cut’ timber forms the wall cladding to the stairs. In the dining area a pew salvaged from a redundant chapel forms bench seating. The entrance door slab, external cills and garden walls are in local red sandstone, and the high performance windows are made locally from oak.

Biodiversity

A second phase will add a parterre herb garden between kitchen and workshop. Above the workshop will be a semi intensive green roof. A new orchard has already been planted in the adjacent field, together with extensive vegetable beds. Biomass willow for coppice rotation and native hedging provide the log burner with a very local renewable fuel supply

Key Sustainability Points

Sustainability brief

The guiding principle of the design was that the sustainability demands of the brief must not compromise the spatial and visual amenity. Critical to the house being zero carbon was that the house must enable a rewarding lifestyle without the need for the wasteful use of energy/carbon.

Design system

Catherine’s experience of high-end city residential design was combined with the sustainability design system evolved while Steven was Technical Director of ZEDfactory. Key to this is super insulation, thermal mass and South facing glazing. This concept allows heat gains from the sun and internal gains to be stored in the structure, both preventing overheating on hot sunny days and then heat having to be provided back on following cloudy cold days.

Local materials

This building concept takes advantage of local trade skills and local building materials as the cleverness is in the fundamental design rather than hi-tech materials and mechanical systems. The main bulk materials were all sourced locally; low cement GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast Slag) concrete blocks are from Aberdare, Rockwool from Bridgend, and lime render and plaster from Brecon. Stone and aggregates come from the Forest of Dean.

Heat

Key to the heat system is a thermal store that can accept heat from different sources and manage the supply of it back to both domestic hot water and zoned space heating. This allows solar thermal heat to be used for space heating whereas standard systems only provide domestic hot water. This massively increases the potential usefulness of solar thermal heat, especially in the spring and autumn. A smart control system puts low grade solar thermal heat into the structure in the morning, then allows temperatures to rise to store heat for domestic hot water in the afternoon. It also decides how and when to distribute the space heating.

Green technology

The monopitch roof is designed to maximise the area available for renewable energy harvesting, with the angle chosen to follow that of the Skirrid mountain to the North East. Above an array of photovoltaics, oversized solar thermal panels provide hot water and space heating for most of the year. A log burning boiler stove in the living area provides heat to the system on cloudy winter days. The wind cowl connects to a wind assisted heat exchange ventilation system. The house is fully heat and power metered and in the years analysed so far, consumed only 7kWhrs/m2/yr of space heating, which is twice as good as the Passivhaus standard of 15.

Quotes:

“The Influence of BedZED the Radical public housing project in Merton, South London has spread far and wide, but curiously as a model in its plans and sections overlapping gardens, workspace and habitation, it has not been taken up elsewhere in the UK. However a major member of the team, Architect Steven Harris, later moved to Llanfoist near Abergavenny and with Catherine Roberts they designed No1 The Orchard (Un Y Berllan), which would have to be found a place in any future Pevsner of housing architecture, that took its sustainability credentials seriously” Critic Review  – Patrick Hannay TouchStone  2016

Links

CRSH Architects

Ellis and Moore

Key Sustainability Points

Heating

Heating is provided by two Dutch tile stoves, one in each main space. Manufactured by Tigchelaar, they’re an effective heat source, economical to operate and able to be used for cooking too, such as baking bread or roasting potatoes. This is the primary source of heat to the temporary home, and during the heating season is only lit twice a day to provide enough heat.

Flexibility

All other services are contained within the service zone of kitchen, bathroom and loft space for water tank and flues, with power in exposed conduit ducting.  This provides future flexibility for rewiring to different layouts and uses.

Quote

“On its website the Rural Office for Architecture states, ‘the practice focuses on developing a vernacular design response to the rural context in which we live and work’. I wonder how many practices can, in reality, follow up on their mission statement or vision? The jury felt that New Barn in Felindre, Llandysul certainly does.

Niall Maxwell works with a talented team of designers deep in rural west Wales and successfully designs projects across the UK. New Barn is the latest in a series of carefully considered buildings at his home in Carmarthenshire. It may only be a small building with limited space, but it is meticulously planned and detailed. As a self build project it had limitations imposed on it from the start, but, as is often the case, these limitations have helped to create a beautifully crafted, flexible solution to a number of key requirements.

I have often been told that good design is about solving a number of different issues with one detail – New Barn is a great example of this. In larger buildings you can often hide faults and lose careless design thinking in the scale of the spaces. In this scheme the compact interior only serves to show how well thought through every element of the design is.

The jury is delighted to announce that New Barn, by Rural Office for Architecture wins both a Welsh Architecture Award and Welsh Small Project of the year for 2014”. Chair of Welsh Architecture Awards Jury 2014, on behalf of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales

Links

Rural Office for Architecture 

Atebglas

Planning and Design Process

Brief

The initial brief from the client was modest in scope and limited by the perceived constraints imposed by the barn’s diminutive size, which had an overall internal floor area of less than 60sqm. This comprised two small ground floor spaces, a loft over the western half and a small raised store to the rear of the double height volume to the eastern side of the barn.  Consequentially, their initial brief required the provision of a garden store and studio space on the lower level, a dry store in the upper loft level and if possible a craft working space, albeit it was difficult to see how this would be accommodated.  Beyond this the building required general fabric repairs, upgrading the thermal performance of the un-insulated structure, the provision of heating and services, and a new roof.

Design

However, rather than view the diminutive of the barn size as a constraint to ambition the architect saw the small scale of the building as an opportunity to enhance the level of accommodation through the creation of a series of highly tailored insertions, each designed to maximise the efficient use of space whilst providing delight in use. The key to un-locking the spatial constraints was the creation of a ‘floating’ mezzanine floor within the double height volume to the eastern half of the bar and the provision of a new stair to the rear of the double height space within a previously under-utilised lean-to. The stair could access both the new mezzanine and the loft space over the western half of the barn without any excess circulation.  Furthermore the space created on the half-landing was just sufficient to accommodate a full width kitchenette and, by extending into a small store in the western half of the barn, also gives access to a small bathroom room with a walk-in shower. This liberated space within the main volumes for the primary functions, with the studio at the lower level and the craft workspace on the mezzanine, and importantly enables the use of the barn to be extended to providing self-contained accommodation for visitors by providing a guest room in the loft space on the western side.

Interior

The beneficial use of space is further enhanced by the provision of a series of highly tailored insertions and built-in furniture, these include, a bookcase under the stair, combined bench seating and storage for the studio space, a work-desk that double as the balustrade to the mezzanine floor and the careful placement of windows and roof-lights to provide daylight over working areas.

Planning designation

The barn is located within the Brecon Beacons National Park and planning constraints dictated that the conversion would need to respect the local vernacular and be contained within the envelope of the original building. Accordingly, the new oak windows and doors are detailed as boarded components set against simple full-glazed openings that lend the barn its own distinct architectural expression whilst providing a clear reference to the agricultural roots of the original building and its rural setting. The internal alterations are conceived as a series of carefully composed oak insertions and a ‘floating’ mezzanine floor physically separated from the existing stone structure, to create a visually resonant interplay between new and existing fabric.

Construction

The energy and enthusiasm of the clients, Andy and Kirsty Johns, was invaluable in bringing out the full potential of the project. Achieving the level of quality required to realise the design intent was only possible by the extraordinary diligence, care and craftsmanship brought to the project by the builder, Nigel Sobik of Sobik & Son. The construction works commenced following a traditional competitive tender in April 2011.  The construction was managed under a traditional JCT Minor Works Contract and was completed in March 2012 for a sum of £120K

Key Sustainability Points

Insulation

In upgrading the thermal fabric the key aim was to balance the requirement to achieve rapid warm-up times by using internal insulation linings in tandem with thermal mass within the building to exploit the potential for passive thermal solar gains. A system of wood fibre insulation panels with a specialist lime plaster was specified for use inside of the coursed rubble stone walls for its ability to minimise condensation risk and to enable the building to breathe. Cellulose fibre insulation made from re-cycled newspaper print was used for roof insulation.

Solar gain

To exploit the opportunity of passive solar gain afforded by the south-east glazed façade thermal mass is designed into the new ground floor construction and, to supplement this, the internal stone cross wall is exposed to provide additional thermal mass and to enable the original stone construction to be appreciated inside the barn.

Green technology

Maximising the fabric insulation and the exploitation of solar gains enabled the specification of a simple cost-effective wet-system radiator powered by an energy efficient oil fired boiler (Band A – 90.2%) fed from an existing oil fuel tank serving the main house.

Lighting

The design maximises the use of day-lighting to reduce artificial lighting energy demands by the strategic placement of new roof-lights over working areas and the staircase and the craft work-desk is designed as built-in pieces of furniture set under a large north-facing window.  Artificial lighting is low energy LED or fluorescent strip lighting.

Performance

The environmental strategy has proved effective in use – in the winter months the heating system can be set at low levels (15 degrees) with solar gains and building occupancy able to bring the temperature up to a comfortable 20 degrees. The system has also proved successful in responding to the building’s intermittent use.

Quote

“Starting as complete novices, the project was hugely successful for us.  Taking a small, structurally suspect agricultural building, Tim Rolt of Kove Architects created an integrated space which acquired a unique modern character while remaining true to the history of the barn.  Imaginative use of the available space – in particular using the old pig-pen as a mezzanine landing, kitchen and shower room – enabled best use of the area of the two main floors and maximised the versatility of the layout.  There was a good dialogue with the planning authority and the teamwork between Tim, our builder Nigel Sobik, Crickhowell Joinery and ourselves as client ensured that problems were quickly resolved to keep to a challenging schedule.  It is a miniature masterpiece which makes us smile each time we use it”. Client Testimonial

Links

KOVE Architects Ltd

Mann Williams Structural Engineers

Crickhowell Joinery

Planning and Design Process

Brief

The client’s design brief was to replace a dilapidated existing house with a new home to accommodate their family of four and visiting guests. Their brief demanded five bedrooms and bathrooms, but the main emphasis was to make living spaces engage with the dramatic views across the estuary as well as out to sea. The house was to be low maintenance and energy efficient.

Style

Aesthetically, the client pointed towards a New England’ style house as they felt comfortable with the exposed timber nature of this form – it is to their great credit that they followed our interpretation towards a modern timber-framed Welsh vernacular.

Planning challenges

Located within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the planning application challenged the authority’s concept for a replacement house on the site and although they conceded that it was a ‘good design that represented a modern Welsh vernacular’, it met with a refusal. The planners admitted that the contemporary nature of the design ‘was just too much for them’. Following an appeal Hearing, the scheme was finally approved in 2009.

Materials

The house sits on a steep bank onto the estuary and so the lower floor had to be built into the slope. This necessitated a reinforced blockwork retaining structure, so the design utilizes a masonry ground floor construction with pre-cast concrete floor – the upper floor has masonry walls are clad in an insulated render system to the north (service zone) and a timber framed structure using a primary structure of laminated iroko with insulated studwork infills, clad in iroko to the more open, south side. The roof is clad in standing seam black zinc.

Key Sustainability Points

Orientation

The orientation of the dwelling is such that it seeks to maximise passive solar gains through its southerly aspect while shaded against excessive solar gain through a deep roof overhang and a balcony providing shade to the lower floor.

Light

The design uses carefully considered openings to flood the internal spaces with high levels of natural daylight. The narrow plan helps to maximise the daylight gained, thus reducing the need for electric lights.

Passive sustainability

The quantity and size of openings to the north elevation have been kept to a minimum to reduce weak points in the thermal envelope. High performance thermally broken double glazed systems are used throughout. Low energy light fittings are used throughout. Passive cooling and natural ventilation is also achieved via cross ventilation through the open plan at first floor level. Carefully considered detailing ensures the buildings air permeability and subsequent heat loss is minimised. The buildings first floor glass balustrade and supporting concrete frame at ground floor level act as a physical barrier to the prevailing winds increasing thermal performance.

Materials

Masonry construction of the ground floor provides thermal mass to bedroom accommodation while the framed construction of the living accommodation provides ample space for insulation in order to achieve excellent U Values. Locally sourced slate shale is used externally to provide a permeable surface finish to avoid runoff to piped systems.

Ecology

Natural shrub landscaping has been adopted to encourage the continued growth of the sites flora and fauna.

Links

John Pardey Trewarren House

Planning and Design Process

Brief

The Nook is a new-build four bedroom family house set in a secluded valley in Monmouthshire. Planning permission for this 250m² home was secured to replace a drab 1960’s bungalow that had previously occupied a corner of the 1 acre Wye Valley site. The aim of the project was to establish a durable and flexible home that capitalised on the best qualities of its setting. The plot’s fundamental appeal lay in its combination of attractive rural surroundings combined with good year-round solar exposure.

Rural architecture

The design adopts the simple, confident massing evident in the region’s agricultural structures, where both traditional stone barns and the spare steel-framed modern structures now used by farmers tend to possess a visual clarity and generosity of scale absent from most rural dwellings. A rectangular floor plan provided efficiency, flexibility and economy. The adoption of a steel frame enabled significant spans to cater for large openings in the building elevation and allowed the structural flexibility to omit floor sections and thereby create expansive and playful spaces within the interior.

Landscape context

The privacy of the house’s rural location enables generous areas of glazing to be employed, illuminating the living spaces with natural light as well as framing views of the surrounding landscape, which appears to pass though the home. Large sliding glass panels open up the elevations to the outside.

Materials and detailing

The detailing of the house explores a number of vernacular elements and construction techniques through a modern lens. There are a number of examples – a sturdy stone chimney containing flues for internal and external fireplaces which creates a key moment of vertical emphasis on the principal elevation; splayed stone window reveals which have been disc-cut smoothly to contrast with the rugged texture of hand-dressed sandstone walls; a black steel frame that brings visual precision and a grid of graphic separation to the naturally-weathering materials of the elevations; and a built-in settle and welsh dresser that make the kitchen and dining space flexible and accommodating.

Key Sustainability Points

 Passive design

 The Nook’s location meant that the focus of sustainability was on building fabric rather than M&E systems. Financial and topographic constraints prevented the adoption of a GSHP system, and the building’s rural location means that gas may only be provided by LPG bulk storage. Therefore to compensate, a highly insulative envelope and high degree of air-tightness were built into the construction. Excellent levels of multi-directional natural light limits the demand for artificial lighting during daylight hours.

Orientation

The building’s long elevation is orientated on a North-South axis, which results in east facing bedrooms benefitting from the warming effect of morning sun while being shaded from afternoon and evening sun. The dual-aspect ground floor reception rooms occupy the overall depth of the building, and enjoy solar exposure both in the morning and late afternoon/evening, with ample through ventilation from both small and very large windows to avoid overheating.  The conventional wisdom of orientating the building in an east-west axis would have resulted in this case in a long north facing elevation deprived of sun and light in the valley-bottom location.

Ventilation

A double height space encourages air movement through the use of natural convection currents, with high level opening lights operating on actuators to provide effective natural ventilation.

Materials

The building’s principal elevation materials are durable natural choices that are intended to weather well in the valley location that is prone to moss build-up. Stone (quarried 3 miles from the site), natural slate and unfinished cedar boarding will all weather, while a galvanized steel frame will maintain a taut visual aesthetic that ties the grid of weathering materials together.

Sustainable technology

A strategy is in place to adopt renewable technology for future reductions in CO₂ emissions which will focus on the use of a micro hydro-electric generation system through the diversion of a stream on site with a 10m head and high winter flow. This will provide electricity generation for lighting and power during the months of maximum demand.

Performance

 The building’s annual CO₂ emissions have been assessed at a level of 17.4kg/m². The sustainability strategy results in the building achieving a SAP score of 80, and being rated C on its Environmental Energy Performance Certificate.

Quotes:

“For me, Martin and Kelly have achieved a rare fusion, a striking and architecturally valid project which also impresses as a warm and inviting home: two characteristics which do not always appear in the same description! Award-winning design and real life under the same roof? Yes, it can be done!” Simon Maxwell for Homebuilding and Renovating Magazine

References:

Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

Azimuth Structural Engineering Ltd

Planning and Design Process

Brief

A former poultry barn, abandoned for several decades and in a rundown state, provided the unprepossessing starting point for this rural holiday home, run as a letting business catering for design-conscious visitors.

Planning

Hall + Bednarczyk secured planning permission for the substantial reconstruction of the building by demonstrating how its utilitarian agricultural identity could be retained in a convincing and contemporary architectural form.

Space requirements

The building’s versatile and space-efficient layout creates optimally sized rooms for holidaying groups of up to 8 people, creating a welcoming environment for relaxation. The design provides four double bedrooms, three bathrooms and a remarkably spacious open plan living environment – all within a compact overall building footprint of 140m².

Materials

Views towards the Black Mountains are captured in a floor to ceiling glass wall that faces South West. The roof and flanking walls employ black corrugated sheeting and timber cladding in a refined and affectionate re-working of typical agricultural materials. Internally the confident expression of the building’s structural framework and adoption of polished concrete floors and boarded timber walls provide a sophisticated nod to the building’s humble origins.

Key Sustainability Points

Sustainable technology

Due to its previous operation as a poultry farm, the site had existing water and electricity supply feeds but a sustainable way of heating the building was key to the schemes success. Underfloor heating within a polished concrete floor (thermal mass) was adopted throughout, which is individually controllable in each bedroom and the family bathroom.  The hot water for the underfloor heating, kitchen and bathrooms is all supplied by means of an air source heat pump.

Orientation

Fundamental decisions regarding the building position influenced window orientation to benefit from generous natural daylight, passive warming and also to gain the most desirable views of the Wye Valley. The building incorporates natural ventilation with user-controlled flexibility, that avoids the need for air conditioning. Opening windows at high level enable background through-ventilation whilst large sliding glass doors permit purge ventilation on the hottest of days.

Light

Artificial lighting employs low energy LED fittings, and where possible this is used in parallel with natural daylight, rather than as a replacement for it. PIR sensors externally ensure that energy usage is low, whilst providing important light when required by users.

Links

Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

Azimuth Structural Engineering Ltd

The Chicken shed

Michael Sinclair Photography

Planning and Design Process

Brief

From the start it was the client’s intention to renovate the buildings in order to prevent further dilapidation. It was proposed that they would be used as ancillary accommodation to the main hall, including leisure rooms as well as a home office and guest bedrooms. It was accepted by the local Planning Authority that bringing the buildings back into gainful residential use was the only viable way to secure their future.

Access

A major concern was the access to and circulation through the buildings. Access from the coach house to the other buildings was poor and there was no convenient access from the main house to either of the courtyards or buildings.  To resolve this issue, a new archway was introduced to the stable building to allow for a direct route from the main house and 2 stairs were added to link the different levels of the buildings. A new covered walkway creates a contemporary addition to the ensemble and a protected connection between the bedrooms in the stable wing and the coach house.

Sensitive interventions

The implemented design respects the existing arrangement and fabric of the buildings and only intervenes where required to make them suitable for their new use. The interventions are designed to be in keeping with the simple and functional architectural language of the ensemble. The new walkway is constructed from solid oak on a brick plinth and the roof is clad in lead – traditional materials that are sympathetic to the existing.

Preservation

Special consideration was given to the preservation of the original timber framed western gable of the coach house. It is believed that this part of the building is one of the oldest in the ensemble. The design, which introduces a contemporary glazed screen behind the original timber frame, keeps it outside the insulated building envelope which, not only preserves it but, turns it into the central feature of the ensemble. It affords the home office extensive natural lighting and stunning views over the garden, the valley and the distant Welsh hills. The weathered and aged original timber framing sits in sharp contrast with the precision of the aluminium and glass façade behind it.

Key Sustainability Points

Reuse

Overall, the works have transformed the ensemble of dilapidated buildings into contemporary accommodation that will secure their existence, use and value in the future.

Insulation

Due to the advanced degree of dilapidation to the internal fabric and finishes throughout, the local Authority Conservation Officer accepted the architects proposals to install insulation to the inside face of all walls, as well as to the roof and floors. This has allowed significantly higher levels of insulation to be achieved than would normally the case in a listed building.

Green technologies

The works also include the replacement of all windows with new double glazed steel framed windows. A new efficient oil boiler is supported by a wood burner on the lower level of the coach house. A ground mounted array of solar photovoltaic panels was installed in a location remote from the buildings in order to avoid impact on the ensemble itself while providing an additional sustainable source of energy.

Quote

“We employed Randal Turner of Andy Foster Architects to design and oversee the conversion of an 18^th century Grade II listed barn.  His design was modern and imaginative whilst at the same time maintaining the integrity of the old building.  He dealt admirably with both the planning and conservation departments of the local council.  He was also appointed to oversee the building works, and in this respect Randal was meticulous in his attention to detail and conscientious.  He was a pleasure to work with, both for us as clients but also for the contractor.  We would highly recommend him to anyone considering undertaking this type of project.” The Clients

Links

Andy Post Architects

Byrom Clark Roberts

Planning and Design Process

Site context

The site is a dramatic one – relatively flat but perched on the end of a cliff that overlooks the sea where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel. The very striking layered form of the design works to ‘dissolve’ its impact on the landscape and respond to the predominantly post-war housing nearby.

Planning designation

Planning permission was achieved for this contemporary home in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, on a site overlooking the Bristol Channel. The area is very sensitive in planning terms, with the whole of the immediate area designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Trust ownership of land nearby. The solution is very sensitive – and one of the most sustainable buildings in Wales.

Brief

This time the client had seen the practice win numerous awards, both locally and nationally, and having been the subject of a previous planning rejection, with another architect, approached Hyde + Hyde to work on a new holistic vision for the site that would provide a very sustainable family home to meet distant future living needs as well as current requirements. This was an intellectual as well as a design challenge but one that the architects were eager to meet.

Design

Cliff House makes the most of the site’s dramatic location and captures glowing Gower sunsets, as well as being very sustainable in the long term. To balance the heaviness of the building fabric a cedar clad balcony frame is introduced to focus on the sea views, with vertical and horizontal planes creating a series of sophisticated ‘layers’. Elements of the design ensure that the building’s long term energy performance is exceptional, exceeding passive house standards.

Key Sustainability Points

Green technology

The house utilises an Air Source Heat Pump feeding a wet under-floor heating system with whole house mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MHRV). Hot water is stored in cylinder tanks assisted by solar thermal and the air source heat pump. A discreet parapet reduces the visual impact of the solar cells.

Insulation

The building is constructed from insulated concrete formwork (ICF) giving it a highly insulated air tight perimeter.

Climatic control

Angled louvres help create a semi-transparent object whilst avoiding overlooking and providing wind baffles, creating adaptable rain canopies, solar shading and cover for a carport and the entrance. There is a semi-open courtyard, barbecue area and landscaped garden to the rear.

Quote

Kristian Hyde explains the practice’s track record of first time planning success and popularity with clients: “we are a rigorously research-based practice, carefully crafting buildings with simple honest materials, yet emphasizing our clients’ needs over and above a particular architectural style to develop new spaces that inspire”.

References

Hyde + Hyde Cliff House

Picture credit: Hyde + Hyde Architects

Planning and Design Process

 Planning process

The new house is a defining and epoch-making change to the cottage which previously existed and the subsequent consented bungalow which held the current planning approval when our clients acquired the site. Our new modernist proposal to replace the consented bungalow was fully supported by the Gwynedd Council from inception due to submission of an extensive Design and Access Statement which aligned strong architectural theories alongside National Planning Policy Guidelines.

Design process

The whole design process was explored through a process of sketching and model making. Our aspirations were supported by a local authority who embraced innovative and sustainable design principles. Elevations are about framing, layering of materials and solid and void, maximizing light in and views out whilst creating architectural interest. A steel frame structure and combination of rendered masonry and lightweight timber frame construction allowed for large expanse openings to be created. The extrusion of the first floor references the maritime theme of coastal observation stations, whilst massing up the approach view of the house, which is set within its own private walled courtyard. The proportions of the house were rigorously tested against classical proportions whilst working within strict datum heights of the existing cottage that once stood on the site.

Heritage

The stone remains of a 400 year old existing ruined cottage were re-used for a new monumental stone boundary wall offering privacy and textural contrast using traditional stone wall building techniques of the local area juxtaposing the modernist new intervention of the main body of the house thus creating a dynamic material tension between the two. The new house separates from the stone wall with a glass slot roof, which delicately touches the wall.

Key Sustainability Points

Reuse

It re-occupies a brownfield site replacing a former derelict 400 year old cottage. All of the stone from the cottage was re used for the new boundary privacy wall which envelopes the new house. The client was keen to source local materials and labour thus reducing the carbon footprint in transportation costs.

Passive design

The internal character of the house is that it promotes natural daylight and solar heat gain particularly in the winter months with natural ventilation cooling through summer. The spacious indoor environment promotes a sense of wellbeing. All room are provided with a view out to the adjacent surroundings. The house was designed with a planning condition which necessitated the following key design measures; High levels of fabric insulation to offset against the large expanses of high performance glazing, high levels of fabric interface detailing for airtightness and water tightness due to the severe site exposure, passive solar heat gain through large expanses of south facing glazing and, natural cooling ventilation throughout the floor plan via large sliding glazed doors for stack effect.

Sustainable technologies

Sustainable technologies used at Cefn Castell are an air source heat pump for underfloor heating and hot water supply and rainwater harvesting from the porte cochere roof for garden watering. Cefn Castell currently achieves a high end EPC ‘C’ rating of 79. By introduction of a wind turbine, solar cell heating and photovoltaics, this would achieve an EPC ‘A’ rating of 97. These maybe considered ‘add ons’ to the site in the future.

Water and waste

All potable water supplies within Cefn Castell are fitted with water efficient devices and these are in the following forms; low flow taps and shower and dual/low flush WC’s. All foul water is treated via a biodisc for discharge as clean water off the site to the beach/sea as approved by the Environment Agency. Non recycled rainwater is directed off site to the beach/sea level as approved by the Environment Agency to protect the boulder clay strata of the site.

Quote

“Lots of practices claimed to build contemporary homes, but only John and Keith really understood the modernist principles I was looking for. The minute we sat down we had an instant rapport. Having an open and direct relationship with the architect is crucial to realising our dream home and an ‘overly detailed’ brief for helping the architects to gain a thorough insight into their modernist vision. As a result, John and Keith could establish a clear outline for what Cefn Castell should look and feel like long before the construction teams set foot on the site. When John and myself first met amongst the rubble of the cottage, we pulled out a couple of deckchairs and we just sat there talking about architecture. Communication is half the battle with these things. If you can get on with someone that easily, you know it’s got the potential for success.” Client

Reference

Stephenson STUDIO

Planning and Design Process

Planning process

Originally refused planning permission by Monmouthshire County Council in 2008, this replacement dwelling won at an Appeal Hearing in 2009 following Hall + Bednarczyk Architects’ successful demonstration that the building’s design was suitable for its protected landscape setting. The application had been strenuously resisted by planners who were keen to see the enlargement of a farm worker’s dwelling which existed on the site. However, the original cottage had already been much-modified, and what was left of its vernacular form would have been further compromised by extension.

Planning designation

Creating a home with a generous and expansive sense of space raised a potential conflict with the AONB’s tight planning restrictions on building volume. A design emerged which maximized habitable space by employing very low pitched roof forms. The effect of this was to introduce a horizontal emphasis to the design that, when combined with carefully selected materials, served to diminish the building’s prominence when viewed against the natural features of the surrounding landscape.

Site context

The site is located at the southern fringe of a rural hamlet comprising mainly 20^th Century homes, and the design aims to negotiate the transition into open countryside by contrasting solidity with transparency.  Sandstone walls, which were an existing feature of the site, have been manipulated into curving protective elements that enclose the northern elevation, while the southern elevation is a sliding glass wall intended to create the most transparent connection possible between the house interior and the countryside beyond.

Construction

Construction techniques were developed with stone masons which avoided the need to bond the pennant sandstone with visible mortar, enabling highly insulated cavity walls to echo dry stone walling which is characteristic of the region. The upper storey uses steam-curved cedar boarding as a more lightweight ribbon of material, which incorporates cassette cavities for roosting bats. A steel frame set back from the face of the glazed elevations provides a building structure with sufficient stiffness to enable the external envelope to be made up of unusually slender elements. The apparent delicacy of the south elevation is intended to be a counterpoint to the more rugged texture and construction of the stone flanking walls. A blade-like zinc roof and first floor balcony over-sail the building in a dynamic gesture that offers solar protection along the south elevation, while limiting glare and reflection.

Landscape context

The ground floor spaces reach out to the landscape via a flush threshold that leads on to a raised terrace. A stone perimeter wall forms an essential livestock barrier but is kept low enough to the level of the terrace to maintain uninterrupted views.

Scale

Above ground, this four bedroom house is relatively modest in size, totalling 213m² gross internal area over two floors. In order to maximise the beneficial use of above ground space, a substantial basement occupies the entire building footprint, resulting in a total area of 320m². Enabling works commenced in early 2010, with the contract duration spanning from May 2010 to May 2011. The final contract value using IFC 2005 Rev2 (2009) including external works and a 50m² garage was £740,000 equating to £2,000 per sq m.

Key Sustainability Points

Brief

Carreg a Gwydr was conceived from the outset as a low energy dwelling, reflecting the clients’ wish to have a reduced carbon footprint and lower fuel bills. In response to the brief, the design sought to adopt measures which met these efficiency aims, while simultaneously addressing the clients’ wish to build a home which celebrated the exceptional views afforded by its location.

Orientation

The building is orientated with a south facing main elevation, and all of the primary inhabited rooms and spaces are located along this axis to benefit from passive solar heat gain. The southern elevation is generously glazed beneath a substantial projecting roof and first floor balcony. This design strategy reflects the wish to gain an appropriate degree of solar benefit as well as capturing far-reaching views. The overhangs prevent excessive solar heat gain in the summer, while permitting low angled winter sun to provide beneficial warming to the building in winter months. The north elevation has a limited number of carefully placed openings which serve to limit heat loss while encouraging cross-ventilation. A double height space encourages air movement through the use of natural convection currents, with rooflights operating on temperature and weather sensitive actuators to provide effective natural ventilation.

Sustainable technology

The design incorporates a number of Low Carbon technologies, which have been selected for their appropriateness to the dwelling and site. A large unshaded lawn benefits from natural solar warming, so 500 linear metres of subterranean coils are linked to a ground source heat pump heating all rooms and domestic hot water. A heat recovery system draws warm air from the top of the double-height space, bathrooms, kitchen and utility room to further boost the operational efficiency of the system. The GSHP water output is optimally matched to hot water underfloor heating. Space heating may be augmented within the main space using the log burning stove.

Performance

The building’s annual CO₂ emissions have been assessed at a level of 12.4kg/m². The sustainability strategy results in the building achieving a SAP score of 84, and being rated B on its Environmental Energy Performance Certificate.

Quote

“If ever Frank Lloyd Wright’s guidance about successful organic architecture could be relevant to building one-off homes in Britain in the early 21st century, then it’s here, for the fabulous Carreg a Gwydr (Welsh for Stone and Glass) — a masterly self-build in the countryside outside Chepstow that is the pride and joy of its owners, Tim and Ceridwen Coulson, and its architect, Martin Hall of Hall + Bednarczyk.” Home building and Renovating Magazine

References

Hall + Bednarczyk Architects

Azimuth Structural Engineering Ltd

Matt Cant Photography

Planning and Design Process

Planning
In December 2012, an informal meeting was held with planning officers to discuss preliminary concepts and planning constraints. A pre-application submission was submitted to planning officers in May 2013. Following this process the design was amended, notably by reducing the roof height at either end of the building and by breaking the building into three connected ‘pavilions’.

Concept
The building sits between the town centre and the residential hinterland, each of which is laid out on an orthogonal grid; angled in relation to the other. These two different angles have been used to derive a distinctive facetted form for the proposed building. This form, combined with a series of alternating pitched roofs and angled balconies helps to reduce the perceived mass of the building and responds to the adjacent low-rise housing. This effect is further enhanced by separating the building into three separate ‘pavilions’ linked by glazed sitting areas.

Social interaction
Particular consideration has been given to the importance of social interaction. A communal garden room and terrace giving on to the shared communal garden are provided on the ground floor, whilst informal sitting areas on each of the upper floors animate the circulation space, provide views across the garden and provide opportunities for casual interaction.

Personalisation
Careful design of each flat entrance door provides residents with an opportunity to personalise their own entrance giving a more human and personal quality to the communal spaces. The communal areas on each floor have been designed with a different colour scheme to facilitate ease of wayfinding for residents.

Design features

Specific flexible layout features include oversized bathrooms that can be adapted to be fully wheelchair accessible and a second single bedroom with sliding partition to the living room that can be used as an occasional guest room, study or part of the living space. There is also generous circulation and an oversized store that can be adapted into a wheelchair storage space.

Key Sustainability Points
Fabric first
The architects took a fabric first approach to reduce reliance on ‘bolt on’ renewables, which included a super insulated building fabric and high levels of air tightness. The scheme achieved level 4 on Code for Sustainable Homes.

Materials

The timber cladding was sourced from sustainable sources.

Renewable technology

Photovoltaic panels were included at roof level and each dwelling has mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.

Photo credit: Kilian O’Sullivan

The Triangle is a new low-energy, housing development in Swindon commissioned by Haboakus – a joint venture between Kevin McCloud’s HAB development company and housing group GreenSquare. GreenSquare Group is a housing, regeneration, and social investment agency working throughout Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire and surrounding areas

Kevin McCloud’s development company Haboakus, alongside housing group Green Square, have delivered a small project the principles of which should be pre-requisite in everyday practice. The Triangle, near Northern Road, Swindon includes 16 two-bed houses, 13 three-bed houses, 7 four-bed houses, 4 one-bed apartments, and 2 two-bed apartments. There are homes for Intermediate Rent and Rent to Homebuy and homes for affordable rent to local people registered with Swindon Borough Council. The Triangle feels like a place, as if it was always there.

Working with Glenn Howells Architects and landscape architects Studio Engleback, the project is driven by key principles; a sense of community, a belief in the importance of public space, a commitment to sustainable lifestyles and outstanding contextual design. At The Triangle neighbours are separated in their front gardens only by espalier fruit trees and some characterful gabion walls. The communal ground onto which all the houses face, is a delightful place to spend time with neighbours and friends and the allotments will hopefully soon be bursting with grow your own enthusiasm.

Introduction 
The Triangle is a new low-energy, housing development in Swindon commissioned by Haboakus – a joint venture between Kevin McCloud’s HAB development company and housing group GreenSquare. GreenSquare Group is a housing, regeneration, and social investment agency working throughout Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire and surrounding areas

The project is part of a wider strategy to introduce One Planet Living principles, developed by the World Wildlife Fund and BioRegional, to Swindon. The Homes and Communities Agency has contributed funding.

A contemporary interpretation of Swindon’s mid-Victorian railway cottages, there are 42 homes on the site, which are flexible, affordable and have been efficient to build and manage, using sustainable materials and set in a high quality landscape.

Design Process 
Client brief
The Triangle is an evolution of the English terraced house which creates excellent, ordinary housing on an ordinary budget. The aim was to make the ordinary extraordinary through close attention to the smallest elements while at the same time making a place that is inherently local to Swindon.

The housing provides 42 dwellings for a diverse community, ranging from one and two bed apartments to two, three and four bed houses for growing families.

The client’s manifesto to establish a new housing development using sustainable materials and processes to create well-crafted landscapes and buildings has been realised through a collaborative and innovative approach from the whole design and client team. The scheme, stitched around its central village green, is intended to foster community and bring residents together, giving The Triangle a strong sense of place and acting as a focus for interaction and play.

The concept design, based on the client’s brief for the master plan and resultant detailed design was heavily influenced by the surrounding vernacular and based on Swindon’s architectural history incorporating mid-Victorian terraced housing and inter-war semi-detached properties. The design team took historical precedent and brought it into the 21st century by creating a development of appropriately scaled buildings, sympathetic to the local context.

Planning and social constraints
Glenn Howells Architects made a strong contribution to the consultation process, both in planning and delivery. A schedule of design workshops and formal presentations helped to develop the design, while also gaining the confidence of local residents by engaging them through sketches and models which explained the scale and style of the scheme, whilst also understanding their concerns about boundary conditions and proximity to existing dwellings. During the construction phase, local residents were kept up to date and informed of progress through one-on-one visits and flyers were also distributed on a regular basis.

Immediately surrounded by two-storey interwar houses in brick and render, the lack of security from the vacant site to rear gardens presented an ongoing issue for the existing community as did the regular flooding on the clay-filled ground. The approach has therefore been to provide an extension to this community that addresses the site issues with a natural landscape setting and safe environment for the residents.

Materials and methods of construction
Like the Victorian railway terraces, the simple, long building forms were given vertical expression through the detailing of the entrances, cowls and windows, while traditional building materials such as timber, lead and hemp were used in a contemporary and sustainable way.

Throughout the procurement and construction phases of The Triangle, all materials were specified with consideration to the embodied energy, recyclable content and maintenance requirements while offering high performance levels.

The external walls are constructed from Hemcrete cast in situ on a timber frame. Hemcrete is a natural fibrous product, which is carbon negative and made from the woody stem of English grown hemp mixed with a lime binder. The Hemcrete acts as an insulator and provides thermal inertia helping to reduce temperature peaks, offering very good air tightness and thermal performance.

Summary of timetable, programme and budget constraints
Working within a restricted budget, it was important to prioritise important elements, which would improve the overall quality of the scheme and be appreciated by residents, such as better quality kitchen design, materials and lighting, which also provided greater value for money. The programme – originally 12 months – was delayed during construction phase, due to inclement weather, however the scheme was delivered within 14 months.
Planning received – May 2010
Start on site – July 2010
Completion – September 2011

Sustainability Credentials
The Triangle is one of the most resource efficient new housing developments in England, striving to provide a high quality of life for its residents in an affordable and practical way. In meeting Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) Level 4, high standards of construction procedures for minimisation and recycling of waste have been used, including:
• Using materials for internal and external uses from certified sustainable sources
• Fitting out the dwellings with energy efficient and water saving appliances
• Providing for in-home and site-wide waste and recycling management

The building envelope is far above the requirements for U-value performance and every unit meets all of the Lifetime Homes standards such as cycle storage and provision of a home office.

In order to increase our CSH Level 4 to level 5 or 6, higher standards of water management and renewable energy sourcing can be integrated. Provision for retrofitting Photovoltaics on the pitched roofs have been considered and grey water recycling to enhance the rainwater harvesting strategy can be added.

Overall, the site is expected to achieve savings of 70 tons of carbon per year compared to the 2006 Part L Building Regulation standard. Compared to a brick and block wall, the timber frame and Hemcrete is expected to have saved and sequestered the first four years of carbon emissions.

The homes are super-insulated using 350mm of Hemcrete in the walls, which means heat loss is minimised. The proportion of glazing to each façade has been adjusted to give the greatest solar gain in winter without overheating in summer. All habitable rooms maximise use of natural daylight to improve the quality of the spaces and reduce the need for artificial lighting.

The layout of the houses were planned to provide an ‘air lock’ hallway and the stairs have been arranged to provide unimpeded connections with the living space to the rest of the house. In winter, this allows the warmth generated on the ground floor to rise through the house and in summer it allows the stack ventilation to function, drawing warm air to escape through the ventilation cowl, a signature element of the active energy systems in homes.

From the outset, the design team and client strived to minimise whole life costs through three design principles:
• High performance envelopes to mitigate heating and cooling loads that compromise most of the running costs.
• Minimising mechanical systems by seeking passive systems to control the internal environments, therefore reducing energy and maintenance costs over the life of the houses.
• Durability of internal finishes exploring the use of long life materials that do not require frequent decoration or expensive cleaning.

With good accessibility to the town centre using the regular bus services and cycle paths, The Triangle challenged the norm in two parking spaces per dwelling to a lower ratio of 1.5 spaces including visitor parking.

The total of 63 car spaces is strategically underpinned by a range of measures designed to the need for car ownership, including provision for a community car club, the first in Swindon and IT facilities within the homes to access real time information on buses as well as to encourage working from home.

With a committed design team from the outset, the project has benefited from a holistic approach. This has led to an integrated solution for the environmental, structural and design proposals, creating a scheme that intelligently incorporates advanced passive strategies in comfortable well-proportioned spaces.

BREEAM rating/ Code for Sustainable Homes level
Code for Sustainable Homes – Code Level 4

Schedule of accommodation (showing range of choice): 1 Bed Apt x 4, 2 Bed Apt x 2, 2 Bed House x 16, 3 Bed House x 13, 4 Bed House x 7
Size of home which is principal offer (m2): 2 Bed House (38%) / 75 m2, 3 Bed House (30%) 85 m2
Tenure mix: Rented 50%, Intermediate 26 %, R2HB 24%

Planning and Design Process

Site context

Ty-Hedfan, meaning ‘hovering house’ takes full advantage of the river side location. The house is a further exploration of Featherstone Young’s interest in highly site specific and contextual architecture, using local materials such as slate and stone and, by fully utilizing the topography of the site, creating a striking and unique form.

Landscape constraints

The site had two principal constraints, or opportunities – the steeply sloping topography and the no build zone which included all land within 7m of the river. Taking its cue from the traditional Welsh longhouse form, one wing of the building starts in a seemingly straightforward manner but then proceeds to cantilever over the river bank and into the trees, becoming lighter and more open as it does so.  The other wing of the building is sunk into the slope of the site, with a green roof over, and full height glazing looking out over a decked riverside lawn. Irregular shaped roof-lights over this wing, drop extra light into the area and are detailed as wooden cattle troughs in a field.

Materials

The material palette takes its cue from the local vernacular context, but they are eventually detailed in a more unusual manner. The cantilevered wing is a crisp slate-clad box with hidden guttering and faceted pitched roof which gradually transforms into a hardwood framed glass living room, hung over the river. Two screen walls in local dry stone, soften the hard geometric slate form, but become monolithic 9m high features from the riverside, having the practical benefit of preventing overlooking from higher neighbouring properties. Internally, cedar-clad walls and timber, slate and linoleum floors predominate.

Landscape design

Apart from the creation of a small riverside lawn area, the landscape design around the house aims to be as light touch as possible creating the appearance from the river of a house lost amongst its natural, wild setting. A smaller stream runs across the site and has been encouraged to form pools and wetland areas before tumbling over rocks down the steep river bank and into the main river.

Sustainability Outcomes

Materials

The main wing construction is a hybrid timber and steel frame structure, clad with traditional slate and locally sourced stone.

Orientation

Large timber framed windows on the south and southwest elevations maximise the thermal benefits from solar gain, which is then retained through high levels of insulation.

Thermal mass

Insulated thermal mass is added through the two large stone walls wrapping the main house and forming the entrance hall and interface with the lower guest wing. The guest wing’s concrete retaining walls and green sedum roof add further thermal mass.

Renewable technologies

Solar panels and an air source heat pump ensure the house is energy efficient.

Related links

Ty Hedfan

Architects Journal 

Featherstone Young

Planning and Design Process

A product of Wales

A one-off, with many features used for the very first time in the UK, the Larch House, so named due to its Pembrokeshire larch cladding, is very much a product of Wales. It was built by Pendragon Design and Build contractors from Cwmbran and Holbrook Timber Frame from Bridgend, with a Welsh timber frame structure.  Likewise the Lime House was constructed using Welsh skills, suppliers and products. Of particular note are the windows and front door made from Welsh larch timber, thermally modified on Anglesey. Developed and taken through certification by bere:architects, these are the UK’s first Passivhaus certified doors and windows.

Future homes

The designers were striving for a perfect balance, incorporating greener methods of building and offering benefits to tenants through lower energy bills and improved comfort. The partnership has with this project, brought forward practical innovative solutions which address matters of energy efficiency and carbon reduction while providing homes in which people wish to live.  United Welsh Housing plans to replicate the cutting edge design, technology and techniques of this house in future affordable housing schemes.

Air tightness

The project achieved outstanding draught-free construction, surpassing the Passivhaus standard of 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals, achieving one of the best air tests in the UK for an above-ground, detached house with a result of 0.197 at 50 Pascals. This result is over three times better than the minimum required by the Passivhaus Institute and 50 times better than required under UK Building Regulations. It is made more remarkable as this is the first time this Welsh partnership has attempted to achieve the Passivhaus standard.

Traditional form

The neighbouring two-bedroom Lime House, named after its external lime render – follows the unfussy form of a traditional Welsh cottage with a simple, compact shape. This minimises the surface area heat loss as well as the amount of insulation needed.

Sustainability Outcomes

PassivHaus

To achieve the Passivhaus Standard in the UK typically involves:

• Very high levels of insulation
• Extremely high performance windows with insulated frames
• Airtight building fabric
• ‘Thermal bridge free’ construction
• A mechanical ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery

Zero Carbon

The Larch House house is c1000ft above sea level in an exposed and misty hilltop location in Ebbw Vale. In spite of this, most energy needs have been met by heat from the sun, the occupants and appliances. The house generates as much energy from the sun in the summer months (from solar thermal and photovoltaic panels with an estimated feed-in tariff of over £900 a year, and through its glazing), as it uses for the whole year, making it Zero Carbon by the UK definition, at the time.

Local materials

A  strong focus on natural materials delivers buildings with strong sustainability credentials such as low embodied energy and high recycling potential. The use of local timber enhances the economic viability of forests, in addition to reducing the need for transport.

Local economy

The focus on locally sourced, developed and manufactured materials and products, brought employment opportunity and developed local skills – for example, a number of joiners in Wales are now trained to manufacture Passivhaus standard windows. It will also provide a boost to traditional skills such as forestry and joinery.

Value for money

The houses demonstrate that low carbon housing does not have to be prohibitively costly to construct. These CSH level 5 and 6 homes cost between £1,300 and £1,700 m² to build, (which compares with average cost of CSH level 3 social housing £1,200 m²). They also offer reduced operating expenses, with heating costs of as little as £80 per annum

Chips is part of the New Islington Millennium Community in Manchester. This building demonstrates a highly creative approach to an apartment block. It’s bold, colourful and a great addition to the masterplan for New Islington on a narrow, long, site adjacent to the canal, a ten-minute walk from the city centre.

Introduction
The Millennium Communities Programme brought forward a range of high quality and innovative developments, aimed at delivering new homes and commercial buildings to help residents and end users to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Each of the communities was carefully master planned to include green open spaces, wildlife areas and recreation facilities so as to provide high quality public and private realm where community life can flourish.

Good transport links were a priority, and planners were tasked with giving as much thought to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists as to car-users. The Programme has attracted some of the most talented architects and successful developers in the UK, who all rose to the challenge of delivering exceptional places to live and work.

Seven developments have been delivered regionally. A central team was tasked with ensuring that the standards set were deliverable and consistent, and that the means of meeting the standards were recorded and collated so that lessons learned were widely disseminated throughout the housing industry.

Despite a slow transition through the planning process on some of the sites, all seven are now delivering homes built to the Millennium Community standards including to Eco-Homes Excellent (the relevant standard at the time). Themes contained in the New Islington development address environmental sustainability, social inclusion, new housing typologies and creating a sense of place and destination.
Chips is a 9-storey, 16,200m² gross, contemporary residential development, providing a mix of living, studio and restaurant spaces.

Alsop Architects were appointed by Urban Splash, to design the building in 2002 following the completion of Alsop Sparch’s Strategic Framework for the New Islington area in Manchester, England. The concept for the building was inspired by three fat chips piled on top of one another.

The site for Chips forms part of the New Islington Strategic Framework area to the North East of Manchester city centre. The overall site, which is brownfield, is bounded on the North West by Redhill Street and the Rochdale canal; on the North East by waste ground north of Woodward Place and by Weybridge road and Carruthers Street; on the South East by the Ashton Canal and on the South West by Cardroom Road and Vesta Street.

Specifically, the Chips site is the portion of the area formed on a peninsula directly north of and enclosed on the southern face by, the Ashton canal. Additional canal arms have been constructed to the east and west of the site enclosing it with water on three sides.

The Chips site is narrow and linear at just 28m at its widest point and approximately 120m long. It accommodates a level change of approximately 2.5metres along its length with the south west tip being the lowest and the north east the highest point of the site.

Design Process
Alsop Sparch developed the scheme in close collaboration with the local community. Using the Alsop strategy of engagement, the masterplan and the building design were developed from an extensive community engagement exercise over a six-month period. Local residents were taken on site visits to other high density residential developments that support the sustainable infrastructure desired. They were directly asked about the type of accommodation they wanted, the type of spaces and importantly the facilities that they felt the community would require. Residents’ opinions varied and the wish list included waterside living, healthcare facilities and parks as well as the best chip shop in Manchester!

The ambition for Chips was to create a high quality, high density affordable development, the scale of which was reduced by the juxtaposition of the massing of the architecture. The scheme was conceived to provide variation and unique apartments within a high density block. All residents were to be near water, to see water and to be able to use the new canal arms as a recreational facility.

The mix of apartments, studios, workshops and restaurants stitched into the overall building form creates the necessary diversity of use. The building was raised off the ground so that all units and users are elevated above the ground plain.

The principal idea of the apartments was to reduce the amount of unused circulation area and to make the apartments open plan, flexible and generous. Compact pre-fabricated kitchens and bathrooms sit within an overall apartment plan as opposed to being separated rooms. Folding partitions allow rooms to be joined together to create larger areas. The pods within the apartments house all the electrical and servicing requirements of the unit freeing the outer walls from switches, pipes and clutter. Large and varied window shapes provide variation and maximise daylight.

The building is constructed using a concrete frame which inherently assists with the acoustic and fire protection performance of the development and allows the apartments to have exposed concrete soffits. Externally the building uses a rain screen façade clad in composite Trespa panels which allow for the use of a diverse range of colours and for the large scale text, to be applied to the façade.

Sustainability Credentials
The scheme achieves a BREEAM Eco-Homes Excellent rating, conforms to the Manchester Methodist Housing Trust scheme’s stringent development standards and also meets the sustainability guidelines as set out by the UK Homes and Communities Agency as a part of the Millennium Community programme.

Designers Evaluation
The project strives to define a ‘quality of living’ statement by combining outstanding design with technological innovation while embracing key concepts of sustainability, integration into the urban landscape and the provision of inspirational and sensational apartment units.

Related Links EN/CY
http://www.alsoparchitects.com
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/jul/12/chips-will-alsop-manchester-review
http://www.e-architect.co.uk/manchester/chips_manchester.htm

Planning and Design Process

Vision

The evolution of the design came through a thorough understanding of the ‘phenomenology of place’ and critically, the client’s individual lifestyle. The vision was to marry daily routines and social interaction with an architecture that allows freedom and versatility.

Planning process

The site is located on the Gower Peninsula, a sensitive location in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Prior to the appointment of Hyde + Hyde, an earlier application had been made for a large scale ‘Huf Haus’ style development. The reason for the failure of this application was that it was ‘out of keeping with local character’. The client was advised to seek architects experienced in high quality domestic work. After three pre-planning consultations and closer consultation with the local planning department, Hyde+ Hyde was awarded full planning within 8 weeks and without the application going to committee.

Orientation

Due to the impressive sunsets on the Gower, the client specifically requested a house that would address this. We responded with a form that through its plan, metaphorically embraces the sun with arms outstretched, opening westwards. The internal courtyard accommodates our client’s needs with regard to social interaction, while the bedroom wing acts as a sound barrier to the adjacent road. The house reveals a strong directional orientation towards the setting sun, celebrated through various cantilevers that dramatise the external form, whilst providing shelter from the elements. A simple timber clad platonic box, strategically positioned hints at a more radical composition within the private courtyard hidden from view. The lap pool reaches through the courtyard out into the landscape, banked by a monolithic wall which acts as a canvas for sunlit reflections off the water. The ground floor plan forms the ‘arms’ of the courtyard, developed for its flexibility and to provide a space of privacy and seclusion.

Traditional construction

The logic behind the construction is an expression of tectonic honesty. Hyde + Hyde researched the traditional regional construction methods of historic barn typologies at St Fagans National History Museum, Cardiff. This inspired a post and beam language for the internal courtyard guest bedroom elevation, with a contemplative mono-pitch roof to the bedroom areas.

Materials

 Natural materials were used wherever possible including sawn faced slate, with a strong emphasis on horizontal coursing to reduce the scale of the building and accentuate a relationship with the horizon. Other materials include glass, timber, and standing seam Anthrazinc which plays to the analogy of traditional slate, as a ‘metaphorical skin’. Modern material technology is utilised in the Glulam Beams, allowing an extension to the conventional limitations of a timber beam.

Impact on landscape

The design’s composition of a cantilevered timber-clad box embraces the view, but also provides protection to the kitchen, dining and living areas, logically configured at the heart of ground floor plan. The low-sitting design minimises its impact on the landscape and from the approaching road and public realm the building is a modest simple style echoing that of the local barns. The house looks like a simple timber clad box from the road but suggests that there may be a different, more radical design approach behind the building within the private courtyard that cannot been seen.

Sustainability Outcomes

Temperature

Close consultation with an independent energy consultant ensured we could provide a highly insulated building envelope to reduce heat loss significantly, whilst also reducing any possibility of ‘cold bridging’. Low ceiling heights were incorporated in key living spaces to reinforce a sense of human scale, whilst efficiently reducing the amount of internal volume requiring heat.

Air tightness

Air tightness was another key factor that was monitored on site and through detailed specifications including 1:5 detail drawings.

Materials

The identification of sustainable materials was another key factor such as the locally sourced ‘Berwyn Slate’ and heat treated timber from managed sources.

Developing technologies

This new home integrates passive solutions with developing technologies such as ground source heat pumps and future planned rainwater harvesting. Externally, an Air-Source heat pump provides warm water for the pool whilst the lower garden provides discretely concealed beds to fulfil the client’s desire for a space to grow fruit and vegetables.

Quotes

“If you want to create a low-carbon contemporary home in an area of outstanding natural beauty, you need an architect who understands its surroundings and interprets the owners’ lifestyle to deliver a unique structure that will complement Gower and set a benchmark for generations. The Hyde’s attention to detail incorporated a model, photo-montage and visuals of every angle, which assisted planning officers and has proven invaluable to the build. We are now looking forward to many years in our new home”

Client testimonial

Related links

Hyde + Hyde

Planning and Design Process

Renewal

The principal aims of the development were to secure the long term future of the Grade II* listed building and to upgrade the associated grounds, improving the buildings setting. The original brief was to provide, on behalf of Galliard Homes, new residential accommodation within the structure of the existing buildings, together with new accommodation in the east and west extensions of the woodlands block. An additional floor was created and set back from the south façade on the headlands. New additions to the courtland elements were constructed to provide balance and symmetry to the overall plan.

Sympathetic design

The additions do not copy or pastiche the existing design but utilise the same palette of materials, principally of steel windows set within a rendered façade with horizontal banding echoing the brick panels on the original building. The fundamental design approach to the redevelopment of the old hospital is that the final developed building closely follows the original 1930s concept of a symmetrical building set within a generous landscape.

Restoration

Key to the development was the repair of the listed buildings which had suffered as a result of general weathering and poor maintenance since becoming vacant. All the elevations were repaired and re-rendered to once again provide the crisp white finish synonymous with the hospital’s historical appearance. New materials on both the new and existing structures were of high quality to match the existing range of materials and all works were carried out in conjunction with conservation experts, the Vale of Glamorgan and Cadw.

 Design Manual

Given the challenging scale of the project in providing over 240 flats, the control of the repairs and the consistent approach to detailing uniquely employed a Design Manual prepared by the developer’s conservation architect Frank Woods, in liaison with the architects Atkins Walter Webster (AWW). This was agreed between all the parties, including the local planning authority, and was used as a day to day basis for making decisions, and imposing a strong discipline in maintaining a consistent approach to detail.

Accessibility

From the outset it was important to develop a scheme that would be accessible to all people with disabilities. This raised some matters related to the listed structure, and the change of use required the complete refurbishment and re-organisation of the internal layouts and spaces. The layout of the units is such that they have been grouped around smaller ‘cores,’ this has reduced the scale of the development and provided a sense of ownership for occupants. Within these cores all circulation routes are kept to a minimum so to utilise outward views from the apartments.

Legibility

A key feature of the movement strategy through the site was the retention of the existing ‘spine corridor’ this is a listed feature which runs directly though the centre of the development from north to south. This link allows the smaller cores to be accessible from this main route and provides a pedestrian route through the development. Movement through the site is assisted by the installation of coloured portals on key routes. These are designed, coloured and located in key areas to signify features within the spine corridor. They have been segregated into 3 types and colours to highlight information points, accessibility points and larger spaces and finally changes in routes. By the simple use of colour these spaces are more legible and accessible to the user.

Character

The overall design utilises a logical approach which allows for an efficient layout and maximises the positives of the site. Stairs and lifts have been inserted / located into the areas which do not benefit from the views over the site and have been grouped close to the apartment entrances to keep travel distances to a minimum. The sub-division of the building allows each segment to have its own character and feel. This is further aided by the existing buildings which differ in their layout, orientation, scale and mass. For example the ceiling height is greater in the headland block (former ward element) than in the more intimate woodlands block (former nurses’ accommodation). These existing features have been incorporated into the scheme and provide a distinct character throughout.

Innovation

Care and attention to detail was taken to provide an appropriate alternative to the original W 20 series steel window glazing sections – the obvious replacement with new W 20 profiles was not acceptable because of cold bridging. The developer, Galliard, sanctioned research with the window manufacturer Salisbury Glass, to have new dies made for aluminium profiles which exactly match internally and externally the W 20 profiles but which are deeper in section to accommodate the necessary thermal bridging.

Phasing

The scheme was constructed in a phased development which allowed for a handover of the completed elements when complete. The development followed a southerly path with the northern elements completed initially, and the headlands building overlooking the channel completed and occupied last.

Sustainability Outcomes

Thermal improvements

The current structure was built using a solid wall construction which was typical of the period. As a result of this method of construction and the site’s proximity to the Bristol Channel, the structure suffered severely from water damage and damp. Part of the refurbishment was to dramatically increase the thermal properties of the building by adding insulation and dry-lining to prevent water penetration in the living accommodation. On certain elements, insulated breathable render was also specified. In addition, all the existing concrete roofs were repaired and rebuilt with new insulation and weather protection. These simple additions reduced heating requirements and provided internal spaces which are efficient and comfortable to live in and offer a great improvement on the existing structure.

Windows

Linked with the thermal improvements was the need to find a replacement for the existing Crittal W20 steel windows. With over 350 windows in the scheme, a replacement was required that would improve the buildings’ thermal properties and be low maintenance and durable enough to cope with the external conditions so as to have a long life span. The new window system developed provided windows with increased thermal properties as well as satisfying the appearance criteria set by Vale of Glamorgan and Cadw, resulting in profiles which matched the original frames.

Remediation

Decommissioning and removal of the existing clinical incinerator and associated outbuildings on site was also required. At peak use and still with licence to run for a further 17 years, the incinerator was burning some 985 tonnes of clinical waste per year including human tissue and low grade radioactive waste from the diagnostic radiology department. Aside from the visual benefits of removing this facility there was the very significant environmental improvement delivered including the remediation of contaminated ground, improved local air quality, health and amenity benefits for local residents and the cleansing of the surrounding natural coastal habitat.

Waste

Originally there was no facility to treat foul sewage before discharge into the Bristol Channel. A new system to treat outgoing waste was installed with a localised sewage treatment plant on site cleansing the waste before its discharge into the existing outfall. The system employs a sampling facility to ensure that the high levels of treatment are retained.

Related links
Atkins Walter Webster

Planning and Design Process

Design development

Two years or research and design development was undertaken by the architects researching and developing the design through site visits, models and prototypes. This period was also used to procure local materials and to develop and adapt a Welsh vernacular.

Welsh culture

The architects felt that the real strength of Welsh culture was found in simple plain chapels and vernacular buildings embedded in the countryside, gradually added to and elaborated. They were keen to take reference from these, whilst avoiding simply reproducing an explicit version of the historic vernacular, an approach that would devalue the original. The intention was to reinterpret through familiar forms and ideas coupled with a holistic approach to environmental sustainability.

Landscape context

The site itself inspired the ‘long house’ design, and using contemporary construction techniques a thoroughly modern and high performance building, which responds directly to the landscape was delivered. The design was environmentally driven throughout and the passive solar design strategy uses every natural energy source available, supplementing the active features, such as the log boiler.

Sustainability Outcomes

Solar gain

An analysis of seasonal sun paths determined the building’s location in order to maximise solar gain, whilst also providing a south-facing garden to grow produce and maximise views over the valley.  The compact design forms a sealed box that opens to the south and enables natural light and optimal cross and stack ventilation throughout. The south facing elevation and fenestration use optimal proportions of glazing (approximately 30% of the south elevation is glazed compared with just 5% of the northern), whilst alongside this deep window reveals and sliding shutters prevent excessive solar gain in the summer. These measures are designed to maximise solar gain in the winter and minimise overheating in the summer. The building only requires active heating throughout two months of the year and sustains internal temperatures though passive solar heating the in the shoulder seasons.

Green technologies

Collaborating with Green Earth Energy Ltd from the outset nearly 10% of the overall budget was invested in green technologies; the active heating strategy combines hot water from the 8KW log boiler and the solar collectors in a 500 litre accumulator tank, whilst the collectors also supply all domestic hot water needs and supplement the under floor heating system. A Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVRH) system efficiently ventilates during the winter months and a Klargestor Biodisk operates as a sealed ‘water waste processing plant’ in the garden.

Materials

Many of the materials were sourced locally; from the larch cladding, sourced and felled from the client’s estate two miles away and subsequently milled on site, to the Welsh slate, recycled from derelict buildings on the estate, which wrap the roof and exposed north wall, and internally locally sourced oak was used on the fit out. The house also uses Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) coupled with high performance windows and secondary insulation from a sheep’s wool blend.

Energy rating

Ty Pren achieved a SAP rating of 79 and Dwelling CO₂ emissions rate 5.5 kgCO₂/m²/year – six times more efficient than the government’s target emissions rate for a home of this size. Overall this 175m² house produces 968.9 kg of carbon annually and with a small amount of energy generation on site this home has the potential to be zero carbon.

Related links
Feilden Fowles

Planning and Design Process

Location context

The existing architecture can be read on plan as two interlocking rectangles; the diagonal overlap coupled with a rising terrain to the rear reinforces the building’s orientation to the open aspect and towards the ocean. The architects proposed a cantilevering steel frame, elegantly detailed and pushed to its structural limits. This emphasised the building’s metaphorical and physical assimilation with the sea, creating a dramatic response to site whilst offering a wonderful covered external dining area for the client. Working closely with the planning department, the new reconfiguration was devised to create an atmosphere rich with light and space, whilst simultaneously allowing for well-proportioned areas of privacy and seclusion.

Spatial variations

This newly formed roof arrangement allowed for a series of spatial variations from enclosure to exposure. Coupled with dramatic sliding glass screens that allow the whole living and kitchen area to open to the view, this heightens the drama and plays with the perception of internal/external space and carries the sounds of the sea in to the house. The succession of enclosed snug room, to open plan interior, to external rain canopy, culminates in the dramatic sky frame that captures the ever changing weather patterns overhead. This transitional configuration embodies the building’s success, matching spatial variation to the mood of the occupants or occasion.

Materials

Clad with black standing seam Anthra-Zinc, the roof materiality is not simply reserved solely for the top of the building. By wrapping the roof plane down the north elevation, the enclosure and directional nature of the public elevation toward the ocean is again reasserted. Attention to detail was critical in balancing the overall composition. Using a stainless-steel tensile wire balustrade on the terrace, draws strong parallels with nautical engineering whilst at the same time eliminating the need for maintenance of structural glass. Cedar evokes the memory and association of beach hut typology, whilst its natural durability is well suited to an unforgiving marine environment. Horizontal timber cladding accentuates the linear nature of the overall composition.

Sustainability Outcomes

Reuse

One of the key decisions made by the client in the early stages of the project was to refurbish rather than demolish Idle Rocks. Sustainability was considered early on and the various options for a low-carbon building were examined. One of the key advantages of refurbishment over demolition was the latent embodied energy in the existing structure which mitigated the impact of fresh raw material extraction, construction, transport, manufacture, assembly and installation.

Temperature

The designers worked closely with an independent energy consultant to ensure a highly insulated building envelope to reduce heat loss, while being conscious of the need to reduce any thermal bridging. Other considerations involve the inclusion of large overhangs to avoid Solar Gain; air-tight detailing; low ceiling heights, therefore reducing the volume of space to heat and a gas fire for use as secondary heating.

Quotes

“We have finally moved in! Hyde + Hyde were right – it was worth waiting for. They have designed the most beautiful home for us, and we love every minute of being here. Their vision, passion, enthusiasm (and calmness!) has been reflected in Idle Rocks. So many people stop to admire our new home – we have had many cards put through the letterbox from people we don’t know, but who appreciate how the house looks”.

Client testimonial

Related links
Hyde + Hyde

Planning and Design Process

Materials

The project maximised the use of local labour, materials and the use of sustainable products. The three dwellings were constructed with insulated internal timber frames and external (K rend) rendered block-work with simple twin pitched artificial slate roofs. All properties have relatively conventional north facing, roadside façades with regular fenestration and central porches that were built with local stone. The southern rear elevations are considerably different in appearance with extensive glazing and cedar cladding.

Layout

Internally, the properties have open plan lounge/diner areas immediately adjacent to the southern glazed elevation. Kitchens have attached utility areas. In each case the ground floor is completed with a hallway that has doorways leading to a separate cloakroom/WC and a flexible home office room. Timber stairs lead to the first floor landing that has doorways to the 4 bedrooms, each with high sloping ceilings to the insulated roof.

Outdoor Space

Outside each property there is an attached garage which includes a wood pellet boiler and cycle racks, plus solar panels on the south facing roof. Both front and rear gardens are enclosed by native hedgerows, either already existing or newly planted; there is also grass and other planting areas. Driveways, paths and patios are composed of slate chippings. The properties are set back from the road edge due to highway requirements to allow cars to enter and leave each property in forward gear.

Sustainability Outcomes

Brownfield

The development was designed from the outset to exploit the sites potential for sustainable living. The former dilapidated dwelling on site was demolished, allowing the three new properties to be built at a higher development density and to very high standards of sustainability. Various materials from the demolished building were recycled.

Passive design

The small windows on the northern elevation respond to the local character of the area whilst minimising openings and heat loss from that elevation. By contrast, windows on the rear south facing elevations with commanding open views are composed of extensive glazed areas at both ground and first floor to maximise passive solar gain. The suns heat is capitalised and the use of electricity to light up the rooms is minimised. Low maintenance cedar cladding to the remaining facade enhances further the “green” design.

Renewable technology

The property is equipped with solar thermal panels (DER of 8.64) which will provide between 60-70% of the domestic hot water needs and will also make a small contribution to pre-heating water in the winter. A wood pellet boiler system will provide hot water in winter and space heating by under floor heating (ground and first floor). A single delivery by tanker should provide all the fuel the house will need for the year. Electricity consumption is minimised by building design but also through the use of low voltage and low energy lights throughout.

Related links
Dewi Evans Architects

Larchfield Grange is a mixed tenure residential development of 51 units built on the former grounds of the late Victorian, Larchfield House. The design is arranged around a number of protected trees creating a green at the centre of the development, on the compact sloping site. The design of the houses is traditional in approach, taking reference from the character of the old town and the architecture of Larchfield House.

The architectural treatment ensured that all 51units were bespoke in appearance, though they were developed from the original house builders’ standard house type plans. The development incorporates 20% affordable homes, pepper-potted across the site in two groups of 5, fully integrated and indistinguishable from the private dwellings.

Planning and Design Process

Objective

The overall design objective, set by the client team, was to produce a genuine product of architectural and historical merit and value, paying close attention to good quality design while maintaining financial viability. The architect placed a strong emphasis on the street scene and on designing a ‘community’ in harmony with its surrounding townscape and responding to the topography and mature landscape of the greenfield site.

Character

The development was strongly design-led, with the palette of materials and detailing performing a critical role in achieving the desired outcome. Timber sash windows, dressed stone, real slate and stone mullioned windows are all used to reinforce the character of the development.

Landscape context

The site was greenfield land surrounding Larchfield House, steeply sloping with mature trees and hedgerows. The scheme has been designed to respond to the topography and landscape of the site, taking full advantage of views to the wider landscape. The layout is set around a central green and the retention of much of the mature landscape provides an instant feeling of maturity and character. The green at the centre of the site provides good open space, well overlooked by surrounding dwellings and incorporates a local area of play.

Layout

The layout successfully enhances a sense of place, reinforced by the constant building line to the back of footways, front doors onto streets, and a network of open spaces, roads, back lanes and pedestrian spaces, which provide a sense of scale and intimacy. The scheme benefits from an urban village approach and sees all houses addressing the street with car parking and garaging provided in private driveways, shared courtyards and narrower lanes. The traditional character of these streets and lanes is reinforced with the use of cobbles and buff coloured asphalt.

Sustainability Outcomes

Materials

The individual dwellings on site have been constructed using high quality materials that will not age quickly and each one has a very high SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) rating due to the kind of insulation, materials and boilers used.

Related links
ESHA Architects – Peter John Smyth

Planning and Design Process

Vision

Several schemes for the residential conversion of the tower had been prepared previously by other architects, but were not viewed favourably by the Local Planning Authority or CADW. The architects for this scheme decided to use a contemporary solution to the conversion which would be a distinct element of the building rather than an imitation of the tower itself. The architects considered that the visual strength and beauty of the water tower was such that any addition made to it had to be distinctly different, contrasting in form, massing, weight and material in order to give horizontal emphasis, lying low against the verticality of the tower.

Extension

The new construction in the approved scheme is two storeys high and lies low to the ground, remaining subservient to the vertical form of the tower. It is aesthetically detached from the tower; this was achieved by inserting a glazed sleeve at the point where the new building touches the existing building. By creating a glazed gap at this junction a good visual connection is achieved between inside and out, this also maintains the independent form and integrity of the tower. The exposed existing red brickwork of the water tower at this location is left uncovered internally in the 2-storey glazed hallway; this reinforces the inside / outside connection and the separation and definition of old and new. The garden wall also acts as a division line between front and back, between old and new, enabling the tower to stand in its own courtyard space to retain its independence.

Roof access

Access to the roof terrace at the top of the tower was a crucial part of the design, this serves as an observation space with dramatic views across the city and towards the Bristol Channel and beyond. Also from the roof space it is possible to see down through the walk-on roof light and into the 3-storey void running the height of the tower to the first floor level below. Clear visual connections from all parts of the house were part of the design concept.

Restoration

The exterior of the tower remains largely unchanged apart from the insertion of slit windows into existing masonry recesses. Work was undertaken to restore the brickwork including complete re-pointing, refurbishment of the steel arched windows, and replacement of damaged dressed stone. A three storey recess runs through the tower ending with a walk-on roof light which forms part of the observation terrace on the roof.

Materials

The lower storey of the new building is constructed from red brickwork which extends beyond the edge of the building itself to appear, from the street, to enclose the garden beyond and provide the tower with its own defined space. While it matches the tower in colour and mortar, the new brickwork is constructed from metric bricks in a stretcher bond and remains a distinct element of the site. The upper storey is faced in pre-oxidised horizontal copper strips and is visually separated from the brick wall below by a narrow strip of clerestory glazing which runs around the entire building. This is intended to reinforce the impression given by the wall of being an enclosing boundary.

Sustainability Outcomes

Reuse

The scheme demonstrates a clever change of use and adaption of a redundant building.

Energy rating

The Water Tower achieves a four star/’very good’ energy rating of 91, with a carbon index of 7.0, calculated in accordance with version 9.70 of the SAP worksheet, using version 1.0.29 of MVM’s Maxim3 software (incorporating SAPcalc3.0, as approved by the BRE on behalf of DEFRA).

Heating

Main space heating is by gas fired condensing boiler with auto ignition (efficiency 90.00%) serving hot water under floor heating to the ground and first floors, with panel radiators to the upper levels of the tower.

Image credit: Kiran Ridley

Planning and Design Process

Vision

The brief for the Coachhouse was to produce a two bedroom live-work unit of innovative contemporary design, with as low environmental impact as possible. The design concept sought to create a building of architectural merit: forward looking in terms of design and materials, whilst relating to the adjacent Victorian terraces. Furthermore, the building was to be user-friendly and inclusive, not only for those with disabilities but for a wide range of parameters, including working from home, good daylight, good connection to outside space and a healthy interior environment. The building was to be as sustainable as possible and is designed to be energy efficient, generate its own on-site energy, use local renewable materials and keep waste production to a minimum.

Site constraints

The key constraint of the site was its small size and the resulting planning requirements regarding design, building footprint, height, overlooking by neighbours and proximity to the conservation area. The design retains the shape and roof pitch of the original warehouse, but extends the visual base of the new building to enclose the external spaces. This solid base is rendered and separated from the visually more lightweight upper floors by a steel ring beam which also provides support for the canopy, bay and gate systems. The house is entered via a gate through a walled garden area.

Materials

The elevation treatment echoes the coach house form of the original building, with central opening windows and a simple industrial feel zinc roof thus maintaining a striking contrast with the original building. The bay window is designed to emphasis an entrance and creates a light box for the interior. The two natural materials used on the exterior – oak and lime/glass render are designed to contrast with and compliment the harder reflectivity and colours of the glazed areas. The roof, which includes photovoltaic panels, not only provides a natural energy source but also is clearly visible and iconic statement of sustainability.

Sustainability Outcomes

Versatile use

It seeks to move away from Victorian pastiche to a design reflecting the needs of modern city life: sustainable living, working and entertaining based on a sustainably constructed home. Key to achieving this was the creation of an urban live/work unit with uncluttered, well lit minimalist interiors and efficient use of space.

Heating

The building is heated via wet underfloor pipes, allowing 93% efficiency on the gas fired condensing boiler. Energy wastage is minimised by having size separate thermostat controlled heating areas.  The building is insulated using Thermofleece and Tri Iso Super 9.

Green technologies

Photovoltaic cells on the roof generate 2/3rds of the buildings electrical needs and large South and West facing glazed areas allow for winter solar gain and natural day light.

Planning and Design Process

Existing building

From the outset of the design process it was realised that the cottage could not be extended in a conventional way. This was particularly the case as a result of the thickness of the cottage walls and the effect that any significant extension or alteration would have upon the integrity of the listed building.

Juxtaposition

The design process developed two contrasting buildings as one home: the introspective character of the cottage juxtaposed against the light and space of the new building. The design proposals were discussed and details negotiated with the local planning authority and Cadw from the outset of the project.

Layout

The principal living spaces are located on the ground floor and split between the original cottage and the extension. The main entrance is located in a glazed link, acting as an interval between the two elements of the buildings. In the original cottage to the left is a garden room that opens out to the garden whilst acting as transitionary space between the link and the more formal living room. From here a staircase gives access to the master bedroom and dressing room. To the right of the link is an open stairwell providing access to bedrooms 2 and 3. At ground level, this space opens out into an open-plan kitchen, family/dining room which is lit via a wall of floor length windows opening out into the garden.

Materials

Externally, the original cottage is finished in with white render. Whilst the extension uses traditional materials, with a course rubble base and wood panelled first floor.

Sustainability Outcomes

Community

The clients for this project were a young couple who were starting a family and wanted to remain in the village of Oxwich. Without an extension, they would have had to have left the village. It is more than likely that should this have happened the cottage would have become a holiday home. Instead, the extension to this dwelling has meant that not only can the family remain in the village, but the young children can go to the local village school.

Materials

In terms of the sustainable attributes of the building itself, it is constructed using a simple timber frame. This translates to high insulation values, whilst giving the building longevity as a result of the significant life span of timber.