Wednesday, July 05, 2017

Architecture Wednesday: Inside Outside House

This is, and was, the perfect site for a home; in fact, there had been a home on this four acre parcel, in the Forest of Dean, with panoramic views looking towards the Wye Valley. The home, the original one, was visible from significant distances.

This one ... not so much.

The proposal involved replacing the existing house, with a new highly sustainable, energy efficient live-work dwelling specific to both the site and to the client’s needs. This included their passion for the landscape and environment along with their requirement for two artist’s studios and gallery space. They asked that the new build be contemporary and to respond sensitively, positively, to the site.

The form of the building is derived from the landscape ... the slope, trees, levels and the views ... and from the site history. The low lying replacement dwelling is embedded into the site, cut into the slope of the hillside and buried to create an earth shelter integrated into the landscape.

The footprints of the three existing buildings have been converted into the new dwelling from ‘inside’ to ‘outside’ spaces. The roof is created by continuing the existing upper field along and over the building; this provides a highly insulated, intensive green roof as well as binding the spaces together to form a single storey largely open plan home.

In addition, those footprints of the existing buildings, were cut out and are now open to the elements, form beautiful sheltered external courtyards inside the home so that the inside is now outside, and the outside is now inside.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:39 PM

    I love the Wye Valley and I love bunker mentality. When can I move in?
    JP

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  2. I do not understand the lack of railings in the rest of the world. Especially since the occupants look like older people. I love the mess of stuff in the back of one of their studios.
    The views - wonderful!

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  3. I love the interior and the views from within. But I find that view of "the bunker" a bit disconcerting. Anyway, I'd probably go for a walk and fall in.

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  4. Have these two oldies got electric buggies to get about the house? If not they should in the very near future!

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