Sunken House
Brief
A new dwelling on a site within the green belt. An existing dilapidated cottage sat at the bottom. The client's intention was to sell their existing home, adjacent to the plot in order to fund the proposal. Large mature trees were a key feature of the site, and the intention was to retain as many as possible. A central objective was to design a home that felt integrated into the landscape, creating the sense that it was a natural part of its surroundings.
-
The proposal strategically positioned the main mass of the building within the clearing formed by the existing cottage and hard standing, minimising the removal of trees. To create an engaging arrival experience, the approach road winds through the trees, offering glimpses of the building from various angles as one navigates through the foliage.
The big idea was to dig down, hunkering the entrance level below ground and into the terrain of the sloping site. This created a strong feeling of the building being part of the landscape as your perspective shifts and the trees and undulating ground envelopes the house. The stone-clad splayed flank walls, acting as a retaining wall at the front approach, sucks you into the main entrance forecourt. This leads you into an expansive lower-ground floor with the main open plan living and dining area, gym and wellness space. The upper levels provide 6 generous sized bedrooms with ensuite and dressing rooms. The building opens up to the rolling woodland at the rear, working with the natural clearing and contours of the site.
The exterior of the building is primarily clad in cor-ten steel, which frames the timber and glass infill panels. At the rear, the volume of the house recessed in order to create enclosed balconies to the bedrooms. The stone cladding continues through to the rear of the house, creating a strong base, as if wrapping and protecting the house from the elements.
