Unique home with a sunken design

The design and form of this eco-house was a direct response to the desire to create significant living space with panoramic views, appropriate to the location, remaining sensitive to the wider setting of the National Landscape (AONB). Incorporating a dynamic, landscape-based concept we used indigenous dry-stone walls as a device to structure a single ‘ribbon’ design. In this way the project was designed deliberately to blend into the landscape, using local, natural materials; a beautiful home anchored in nature.

Objective

To deliver a discrete eco-house of deceptively significant proportions, within the settlement boundaries, blending into the landscape and making the most of arresting landscape views.

Approach

This was a full Rural Solutions planning and design project. We were commissioned to design and deliver the planning for a new house on land owned by the client.

Due to the topography of the site and its location on the edge of the village, as well as being a greenfield site in a National Landscape (AONB), we created a sunken concept that, when viewed from the neighbouring properties was a single-storey bounded by a drystone wall with sedum roof which, when viewed from the front, was tiered. The earth-sheltered design, was built of local materials, with a ground source heat pump and mechanical ventilation with a heat recovery system which meant it significantly improved upon building regulations in terms of energy use.

Planning consent was achieved and full design services utilised to create a unique eco-house with fantastic views and living spaces.