Hill House
Suffolk
Set within a beautiful mature garden near the Suffolk coast, this contemporary home is a bold statement that defines 21st Century living.
The existing 1960's timber frame house, which had an annexe added to it in the 70's that was not connected internally, was in need of serious repair. The decision was made to replace it with a high performance home that would make the most of the setting, and match the current and future lifestyle of the owners.
Being situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty meant that the new design needed to be of the highest quality. Local planning policy pointed to support for a 'signature building' that would complement its surroundings. A number of other contemporary new dwellings in the area suggested that the planners took a progressive view on modern architecture, and felt comfortable with allowing it to sit amongst more traditional forms.
The generous plot allowed scope to deliver on a brief for a substantial 350m2 home that will comfortably accommodate the owners and their extended family.
The majority of the building is set across 2 floors, with a single storey element to the west that connects to a large detached garage, which houses vehicles, bicycles and gym equipment, via an overhead canopy.
A simple palette of materials keeps the design clean and crisp, whilst also referencing the surrounding houses. Combining a light colour render with vertical timber cladding defines various elements of the building, breaking up the mass and emphasising the different volumes.
On the north elevation, a series of playfully placed windows provide interest and animation to the facade, with a projecting element to the east and entrance canopy to the west adding articulation and depth. An extended exterior wall at the eastern end balances the composition.
On the south elevation, larger windows allow for generous amounts of natural light to enter the interior, in particular the living spaces which connect directly to the garden. They are shaded from summer sun by solar shades and the overhanging balcony to the east, but will still allow for solar gain in the winter months.
Inside, a double height hallway immediately opens up to the main open plan living spaces which spread across the south of the building with views out onto the rear garden. This includes a kitchen, which has a large pantry to the side, dining area and living room, off which is a more private and cosy TV/reading room.
On the western side of the plan is an accessible bedroom that doubles as a yoga space with ensuite, which also serves as a WC for the ground floor, as well as a utility, boot room and plant room.
The stairs adjacent to the front door arrive above the double height dining area to give views into the garden. 4
bedrooms are served by 3 bathrooms and a main bedroom suite to the south east corner contains a
dressing area and ensuite bathroom. It opens onto a small balcony overlooking the rear garden.