Contemporary Dwelling – Lincolnshire

Client:                   Private

Location:              Louth

Involvement:        RIBA Stage 1-7

Type:                     New Contemporary Build

Value:                   £Confidential

The proposal is for a contemporary dwelling which is highly sustainable and sympathetic to the site. The dwelling has been designed and orientated to be energy efficient; taking advantage of solar gain with large areas of glazing. The design of the dwelling has taken into account the principles of Passivhaus design. The Passivhaus Standards strengths lie in the simplicity of its approach; build a house that has an excellent thermal performance and exceptional airtightness with mechanical ventilation, including its orientation on site. The orientation uses an east west axis. This provides morning sun to the bedrooms and upper floor complete with an east terrace. The living spaces will benefit from both east morning light and west evening light complete with a west facing terrace.

The appearance of the dwelling is split between the different levels. The first floor has a traditional form and utilises a timber cladding, with the linear living space gives a suggestion of the how the building is more contemporary. The ground floor of the dwelling, which is effectively hidden from Horncastle Road, is finished in grey chalk to reflect materials below ground as identified by the Lincolnshire strategic stone study. The site’s new access will sweep up to the building’s new entrance, which will comprise of a large glazed area to connect the double height lobby with the main living space and rear garden. The use of timber materials for the first floor helps the building to sit back against the mature trees and the stone on the ground floor gives the impression of an older building which has been altered and extended with more contemporary elements.

The building has been positioned to the north of the site to maximise east west daylight and space for a private garden. The access drive is positioned to the south of the site. With the site entrance being set back from the road edge this will provide excellent vision in both directions along Horncastle Road.