Design Buy Build Issue 40 2019 | Page 55

LAYOUT In plan a single storey element reaches to the plots edge. This results in the house having two distinct outdoor areas, an east-facing entrance courtyard and a west facing dining terrace either side of the outreaching single storey kitchen. These courtyards act as additional outdoor rooms that connect the house to its surroundings whilst maintaining privacy from the park. Internally, the transparent walls in the form of large glazed doors which face onto both gardens on opposing elevations, blur the internal and external spaces cross plan and create active views and an abundance of sunlight in the space throughout the day. The interior is characterised by a limited palette of materials; the buildings structure and joinery defining experiences on the journey throughout the house. The stair void, lit from above with natural light, connects the open plan living spaces and bedrooms and casts light back down into the plan. The upper floors embrace the views of the park to the south and benefit from evening sun from the west side of the site, capturing as much of the sun path as possible. The house was constructed from a brick and block cavity wall build up to first floor with a timber frame above. This approach resulted in an efficient build thanks to the speed at which the timber frame could be assembled on site and also helped to reduce the embodied energy of the house as a whole. www.annabelletugbyarchitects.co.uk 55