Contemporary House for private client in AONB near Winchcombe
Completed recently this dwelling was been designed to sit well within the character and appearance of the rural setting and surrounding area. In recognition of its Cotswold AONB location, the palate of materials combines the Cotswold vernacular with a mixture of modern elements.
The design was based on a contemporary composition of juxtaposed simple planes of local materials, natural stone, wood and glass, which rises up from the site’s existing features.
The development is domestic in scale and is stepped in height; this approach to the design both reduces the perceived mass of the development in conjuncture with the building’s orientation away from the site entrance and blends it into its setting.
A main feature through the dwelling is a Cotswold natural stone wall which extends out of the building to form the garden wall.
The dwelling has been orientated on an east /west axis which allows for morning and afternoon/evening sun penetration into the dwelling and the glazed elevations are east and west facing are designed to maximize solar penetration into the living accommodation and basement and lightly tinted to reduce glare and lightly mirror its planted surroundings. Three storey light wells within the hall and rear atrium areas contribute to this solar penetration.
The plan of the building and internal layout is designed around the desire of the
family to have open plan living space incorporating both indoor and outdoor quality living spaces and by its need to function as a sustainable dwelling. Balconies are provided to much of the living accommodation and these have carefully been designed to take maximum benefit from the views from the dwelling while at the same time by being shielded from the sites neighbouring properties by the new building’s fabric, or by being sunk into the roof form, all overlooking of adjacent properties is avoided.