Amber House, Newport Shropshire
The Clients approached Studio Severn
Architects to design a one-off house.
They had purchased the site which had
an existing planning permission for
a two storey dwelling, the design of
which they were not impressed with.
Their brief was very clear, it had to
be contemporary, ecological, timber
framed, incorporate green technologies
and be economical to run as they
headed towards semi-retirement. The
site was on the edge of a village, Nr.
Newport, Shropshire, within Telford
and Wrekin’s planning jurisdiction. The
original house had been approved but
when approached about a new design
they stated that the changes in policy
meant that a building on this site would
no longer be supported. After much
discussion and design consultation
they agreed that the new approach
was much better suited to the site
and a new application was eventually
granted.
As the site is slightly elevated it affords
lovely views to the south across the
Shropshire landscape, an outdoor
aspect and connection to the landscape
was a very important part of the client’s
brief and something that the design
needed to maximise. New Zealand
being their native home, outdoor
living is very much a part of daily
life out there, so the indoor/outdoor
connection was key.
They had seen the style of house they
liked on one of their many trips back
home and this became the starting
point for the design. The house design
is organised simply and symmetrically
around a central two storey element,
which contains the main reception
and open plan kitchen/dining on the
ground floor. The whole of the first
floor is taken by the master bedroom
suite with a generous double height
entrance containing a long flowing oak
staircase from the gallery above.
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