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Facit Homes is delighted to have won an Evening Standard New Homes Award for one of our latest projects, taking the Best Out Of London Home award. Following on from our first Evening Standard award in 2014, this is a testament to the continued quality of both the design and construction of our homes, with the visiting judge paying particular compliment to the execution of the build and the consistent high standard of detail and finish shown across the whole project. We look forward to sharing more images and information about this stunning new home in Suffolk soon, but for now here is a sneak preview…

The next Facit Home in the pipeline has been given the green light and achieved planning permission, this time in a small village in rural Cambridgeshire. We were presented with a site that contained a very unattractive concrete bungalow, but which already had consent in place to be split in half to accommodate two new dwellings. Our clients, Keith and Helen, did not want to build the consented design on their half and so appointed us to design a new home. The existing permission gave us some basic guidelines with regard to acceptable mass and scale, but beyond that we felt that we could propose something far more radical than the traditional looking hip roof design we were to replace. Keith and Helen were open to ideas, but they love to throw a party and so wanted lots of entertainment space for guests. They are also true outdoors people and so a very strong connection to the garden, with an area for al fresco dining was also high on their wishlist. Their previous property had an air source heat pump and they were keen to look at similar renewable energy sources on their new home. The site presented some restrictions but also some great opportunities, with a south facing garden that offered views out on to open countryside. Our design makes the most of this with a huge open plan space that wraps from the western side round to the entire south facing rear. Keith and Helen originally asked that the living area be slightly closed off, but once they saw the 3D walkthrough of the space without walls they were quickly convinced that the interlinking spaces worked better left open. Further drama is added with double height spaces at the entrance and over the kitchen/diner. Upstairs we have designed in flexibility, with the large master wardrobe able to be converted in to a fourth bedroom in the future if needed. The landing has a large roof light above and the void areas will make the centre of the house feel open and light. The master suite takes in all the glorious southern views, with even the bath being perfectly positioned so you can see for miles as you soak. It’s great to start the year off with another planning win. Our senior architect George will now guide the project team on to the technical design stage as we get ready to bring this new home to life.

Our long run of planning successes continues with permission being granted for the first Facit Home in Essex. This was one of the more sensitive sites we are currently working on, being set within a Conservation Area. With positive feedback from our pre-application discussions with the council we proceeded to the full application with a design incorporating asymmetric pitched roof elements. However, we always keep in close dialogue with the planners throughout the determination period, rather than just sitting back with our fingers crossed. In this way we can act on any potential issues that arise and work with the planners to ensure a good result. In this instance a fair amount of discussion and negotiation was required to navigate the tricky planning waters. The design evolved during the process, going through a few iterations until we reached something that our clients loved and the local authorities would support. Although there were only very minor amendments to the floor plans, we moved to a flat roof design with the form of the building becoming expressed more in vertical rather than horizontal elements. It retains is bold, contemporary presence and promises to be a great architectural addition to the village. The team have been pressing ahead with the technical design in anticipation of starting work on site first thing in the New Year. Project leader, Luba, is getting the programme in place and tendering for demolition of the existing property whilst another of our architects, David, is working on the foundations. Unlike many other companies, we don’t expect our clients to arrange the ground works themselves; it is all part of our service.

More cause for celebration last week when our project was granted planning permission. Our robust submission was fully supported by the planners and the local councillors commented on the progressive nature of the scheme, saying it was just the sort of high quality, sustainable architecture they welcomed in the area. With oversight from our project leader Jonathan, the team are now pressing on with the technical design and preparing all the necessary information to begin construction. Tenders are already coming back for the demolition of the existing dwelling and we expect to make a swift start on site, getting everything ready for the new Facit Home to be built. Our goal has always been to have the home ready for our clients to move in and enjoy the summer there next year and we are currently on track to make this happen. Lots of work ahead, but planning wins always bring great energy to the studio so everyone is raring to go.

Another Facit Home has been entered for planning approval, this time in an area we know well, Hertfordshire. Despite being set on a large, picturesque site which runs down directly on to a canal, our client’s young family are bursting at the seams of their existing house. Positioned right up in the front corner of the plot, it also does not take full advantage of all of the surrounding space that they have. All of that is set to change once we have replaced it with a bespoke Facit Home. Our new home design moves the building to a more natural, central location on the site, opening up the main entrance from the road and allowing better views as you approach. With a contemporary form, including two shallow mono pitch roof sections, and a muted, sensitive exterior material palette of Corten steel and timber, it promises to be a breathtaking new home. Inside, the bulk of the family’s ground floor accommodation takes advantage of the perfect southern aspect, with views all the way down the garden from the large interconnected living spaces. Located on the northern side are utility spaces as well as a cosy TV room, with an en-suite guest room at the western end. Upstairs is home to a generous master suite with its own balcony, 3 large bedrooms, family bathroom, a play room for the kids and a study for the parents. The whole home will be filled with natural light from large triple glazed windows and a series of roof lights which flood the central stair and circulation space. It will be quite the change for the family (and their new dog), giving them room to grow and a wide array of spaces to inhabit and enjoy. And with the existing house due to be demolished on completion of their Facit Home, they will be right there to watch as our team brings everything to life.

Another new Facit Home has now been submitted for planning approval. Located in Essex, the site contains a large woodland to the rear with a dated, inefficient bungalow facing on to the street. Being positioned opposite a relatively recent housing development, our clients wanted to replace the tired bungalow with a new home that gave them more privacy from the public realm and opened up on to their much loved garden and woodland beyond. This is their forever home, on a site that has been in the family for generations, so the challenge was on to create something truly exceptional that would meet their needs and stand the test of time. It is set in a Conservation Area which meant we had to take a very sensitive approach to the external design. Fortunately the village contains a broad mix of architectural styles including large industrial buildings and some more contemporary forms and materials which gave us confidence in our bold design. Long timber fences screen off much of the approach to the home, creating a private feel and the asymmetric, zinc-clad forms of the first floor that peek out above reference elements of the vernacular. With the main open plan living accommodation opening up to the rear, upon entry to the home you are met with stunning views right through to the garden. A small snug can be closed off from the main space with pocket doors and a generous utility room creates a separate ‘muddy’ entrance where the dogs can be washed off after walks. An en-suite guest room completes the ground floor layout. Upstairs are the bedrooms, a family bathroom, study and laundry, with the master suite commanding the best views and enjoying high ceilings that run up in to the roof space. We have also made provision for a platform lift within the plan, allowing our clients to use the entire house even if the stairs become too tricky to negotiate later in life. It’s been a really engaging and enjoyable design process for the team, with clients who allowed us to challenge their preconceptions and a site that had both opportunity and restriction. Everyone is very excited about the final developed design and we can’t wait to crack on and bring this one to life.

Construction has just begun in South London on a new Facit Homes project. The land was previously home to a garage belonging to our client and presents a very small, tight site with an existing building to one side. Combined with a slope that requires stepped foundations it is going to be a technically challenging build but a huge amount of work has gone in to the preparations so that we can go full steam ahead now we are on site. With demolition of the garage already completed, the groundworks for the new home will commence shortly. With a lack of space for our mobile production facility, the Facit Chassis will be manufactured off site and delivered on demand once the foundations are completed. The new home uses the topography of the site with a split-level plan that allows natural light to permeate through the entire building, and has a dramatic double-height living space to the front with a study space on the mezzanine. Externally, the entire building will be clad in black standing seam zinc, a bold architectural statement that will create a real impact amongst the mix of house styles on the suburban street. It’s always a very exciting time when a build gets underway and the team are now hard at work to keep things moving on schedule, with completion set for December.

The first of a number of new Facit Homes that we have been busy designing has now been submitted for planning. On a truly incredible site in rural Suffolk, this 420m2 family home will replace a smaller existing dwelling which our clients have fast outgrown. The exterior cladding is deliberately contrasting on the ground and first floor to break up the visual mass of the building and cut outs on the corners soften the edges and bring articulation to the elevations. Because they have had serious problems with mold and mildew in their current home we will be paying special attention when building their new larger home to sub floor ventilation . Inside, a vast open plan space containing kitchen, dining and living areas with large swathes of glazing will allow the family to enjoy time together and take in the stunning river views to the south. Meanwhile a cosy TV room to the rear will be great for movie nights. Upstairs offers more private spaces, with a master bedroom suite that enjoys a secluded balcony and a study with views to inspire. As always we built a robust, policy-based planning strategy which this time included a visual impact assessment. The site is sensitive and working alongside a local landscape designer we have created a scheme that we feel gives our clients the home they want whilst respecting the environment and surroundings, click here . Now the wait begins, but we have every confidence that construction will begin in the autumn as planned.

6 months after starting on site near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, the latest Facit Home was completed this week and handed over right on time to our fantastic client, Cathy. The design is simple in form but beautifully detailed, with two pitched elements seeming to slide gently past one another. Natural cedar cladding to the gable ends contrasts with an EPDM rubber membrane that continuously wraps up the side elevations and across both pitched roofs. A horizontal stepped detail brings articulation to the smooth black surface, a detail that is also picked up in the laser cut window reveals. Sat in a stunning rural site, it is a striking contemporary home that offers a crisp, almost graphic take on the vernacular. At 180m2 the home makes very efficient use of space to offer a large open plan living space on the ground floor that looks out on to the peaceful landscape, along with a separate TV room, utility and bathroom. The first floor has a master bedroom with en-suite, 3 further double bedrooms and a family bathroom, all of which take advantage of the roof pitch to create light, airy spaces. Another great project from our team and another happy client with a beautiful new home to enjoy.

Construction has now been underway for almost 2 months on the latest Facit Home near Bovingdon airfield, Hertfordshire and as winter’s frosty grip takes a hold on the weather the Facit Chassis is rapidly approaching completion. The triple-glazed windows are being installed next week which will take us toward the first major milestone of being wind and watertight, allowing the interior fit out to commence. With the insulated raft foundation having been laid in a very speedy 3 weeks, concurrent production of the Chassis components meant that the erection team were able to get straight on with the job as soon as the 100mm thick slab was dry, keeping us on track for our fastest and most efficient build yet. Our site agent, Kamran, is running a tight ship, overseeing the team on site and making sure we are on programme, whilst back in the studio project architect David sets the pace with careful coordination of all the technical information, orders and sub-contractors. Unlike most of our recent projects, the site did not have an existing dwelling on it so all the utility connections will be new, meaning a lot of negotiation with the providers. We have also installed our first ground source heat pump, this meant putting over 200m of trenches into the ground to lay the pipes that will extract heat from the earth to produce hot water for the new home; with no mains gas available this is a great alternative strategy and will also result in even lower energy bills. There is still plenty of work ahead for the team but with all of their energy being directed at it progress will be swift over the next few months.

There was cause for celebration last week when our clients Anya, Robin and their 3 children moved in to their beautiful new Facit Home in Highgate. After a flurry of activity over the last month our team, led by project architect George, proudly handed over the impressive 4-floor (inc. basement), 6-bedroom property right on time and within 24 hours the family were already fully settled in to a new life in their very own modern, high performance home. It’s a radical change from the old house that we demolished on the site a year ago and they now have plenty of space to enjoy and no more draughts to endure. As the most technically complex project we have tackled to date, the delivery has been a triumph of planning, coordination and honest hard work. The result is a bold and welcoming home full of delight, which will meet the specific needs of our client’s growing family for years to come. There is no greater reward for the whole Facit Homes team than knowing that.

We were delighted to be named winner of the Best Timber Frame Home at the Build It Awards 2016 last night in London. In the most competitive category of the evening, up against 7 other projects from a variety of manufacturers and architects, our home for Terry and Mickey was chosen by the judging panel who praised both our innovative use of BIM modelling and our sensitive response to the client’s brief and site. The team are all delighted to see this fantastic project being recognised by the industry and are thankful to Terry and Mickey for being such incredible clients.