A striking contemporary new eco-home in the AONB

We have recently gained planning consent for the replacement of an existing run-down dwelling in the Cotswolds with a contemporary countryside luxury home. Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty it was important that this home was designed to sit discreetly into the landscape. Our concept was inspired by the idea of cabins in the wood and agricultural barns in terms of simplicity of form, materials and referencing the rural location. The six-bedroom home is a low-energy dwelling designed to achieve the AECB Building Standard.

Response to site

The site is located on a steeply sloping landscape which is heavily shaded by mature woodland rising to South and East. Further woodland spreads out to the north and, along with several mature conifers on site, separate the existing building from the expansive outlook, creating a dark and isolated setting. As part of the design process the site was analysed to find the optimal location for the new dwelling for sunshine and daylight, which would retain privacy whilst celebrating the natural surroundings and beautiful views across the valley. These views are really what the site is about; to the North East a line of mature beech trees frame a view of the hillside opposite, whilst to the west the views open right out along the Golden Valley enjoying sunsets over the folding hillsides of the Cotswold escarpment.

Design process

A series of adjacency diagrams were drawn to establish the relationship between the individual rooms and functions of the house, taking into consideration the views and sunlight at different times of the day, separation of social and private spaces, and the dynamics of family life. These arrangements developed into conceptual designs which respond to the position on site orienting towards key views, approaches, topography and other landscape features whilst maintaining privacy and moderating the building’s visibility. The house is set out in two main volumes around a central atrium, splayed to capitalise on the views across the valley to the west and north-east. A third volume, set into the bank and separate to the main house, accommodates garages and workshop space. These volumes follow the hillside in a staggered elevation with roof forms that flow with, and create a continuation of, the surrounding landscape. The dark timber cladding, black metal and planted roofs soften the building into the wooded site, reducing its visibility within the setting.

Sustainable, low-energy design

From the outset the Passivhaus methodology has been followed to achieve a really comfortable living environment with extremely low energy requirements for heating and cooling. This means a “fabric first” approach with the emphasis on high levels of insulation and airtightness to minimise the heating requirement, using high performance windows and doors, and ensuring that over-heating risk is dealt with by shading where needed. To achieve this the buildings will be constructed using Passivhaus-certified prefabricated timber framing and pre-insulated foundation systems; balconies and overhanging roofs provide fixed shading, with further ‘active’ shading offered by moveable shutters and solar blinds. Building with timber also helps minimise the carbon footprint of the construction itself, alongside which natural materials will be used where possible for insulation, fittings and finishes.

A mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system provides constant filtered fresh air which is pre-warmed using heat from the extracted air. Windows and doors can still, of course, be opened up to enjoy the connection with nature, while spaces immediately outside the buildings seamlessly extend the room functions from inside to out. In colder times the highly airtight building will be completely draught-free, and even the winter sun provides almost all the heat needed to stay cosy warm.

Following this design approach, the energy requirement in using the building is vastly reduced, bringing down operational costs and lowering carbon emissions relative to conventional construction. This is considered to be more sustainable than relying on technology or large amounts of renewable energy generation to save carbon; in turn this allows sufficient electricity generation using roof-integrated solar panels to power the building, and the potential to go off-grid.

The proposed replacement dwelling has been modelled using PHPP (Passivhaus Planning Package) software to understand the energy performance and ensure the design will meet the AECB Building Standard (Association for Environment Conscious Building), a more accessible low energy building standard than Passivhaus.

Sustainability runs into the landscape too, which has been designed to improve biodiversity through planting native species, creating varied habitats and offering roosts and nesting. A sustainable drainage system will gather surface water for irrigation, and ensure there’s no flooding or run-off.

Architect, Energy Modelling, Arboriculture and LVIA: Austin Design Works

Planning Consultant: LPC (Trull) Ltd with Planning Heritage

Garden Design: Graduate Gardeners

SUDS Design: Blue Green Studio

Ecology: Wildwood Ecology

Visualisation: En Aim (exteriors) and Austin Design Works (interiors)