Hollybush, Sevenoaks, Kent
At Hollybush in Sevenoaks, the
Adams+Collingwood Architects team
has showcased the vast potential that a
sloped garden provides. They worked with
the homeowner to convert a standard
specification developer house from the
1990s into a bespoke, sumptuous house
that really is one of a kind.
From the front of the house, it’s hard to tell
the difference from the original structure.
However, from the rear the house looks
completely different, with two large, sunlit
principle rooms overlooking a terrace and
flat garden lawn.
14 - www.refurbandrestore.co.uk
The extra space was achieved by digging
into the side of the hill on which the original
home was built. Adams+Collingwood
Architects used the sloping land to
maximise the potential for internal space
without massive new external volumes.
Key to the project was working with the
original developer spec – not alienating it
but simply making it finer. The basement-
level excavation was large enough to
encompass the area below the existing stair.
This allowed the existing stair to remain
intact, while Adams+Collingwood Architects
extended it down to serve the new lower
floor level. The existing balustrade was
rebuilt, and the spindles were reduced from
35mm to 19mm square sections in order to
create a more elegant feel.
Floor to ceiling windows that run along
almost the entire length of the lower floor
mean that the new rooms are full of light.
Glazing bars and mouldings were finessed
to deliver a finer and more sophisticated
impact. For the large, sliding glazing, bronze
thin mullioned doors and windows were
used.