Essex New Build House

The design of this new build house in Essex is inspired by local timber barns.

The form draws from the surrounding traditional pitched roofed timber properties, yet the detailing is contemporary with frameless glass bays and herringbone cladding.

The site offers a fantastic woodland environment, and the design was determined by the house’s relationship with the garden and views to the mature oak trees beyond. Internally, the scheme features white-soaped timber to create a dialogue with the woodland context whilst offering visual warmth and tactile surfaces.

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New landscaping includes a raised pond that surrounds the house. This will reflect the views of the trees and cast a dappled light onto the ground floor ceiling.

The trees on the site are protected by preservation orders, and the design responds to the requirement to minimise root impacts. A raised cantilevered ground floor slab rests on inset pile foundations, reducing the need for excavation. Planning consent was won at appeal in August 2015.

The site was difficult in planning terms, as it lies outside the defined settlement boundary for the village. It is also a woodland site, comprised of mature oak trees, all of which have Tree Preservation Orders. The design responds to this with a limited footprint and piled foundations that limit any impact on root protection areas. The proposal, therefore, requires the removal of just one tree, which was successfully negotiated with a replacement planted elsewhere on the site.

The house will be constructed from timber and brick, with a concrete plinth raised above a reflecting pool. Internal spaces are defined by the views toward the trees, and frameless glass walls maximise the sense of connection to this protected woodland.

Project Architect:
Ben Ridley

Location:
Danbury, Essex CM3