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.
8 - www.refurbandrestore.co.uk
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.
The two storey central element then has two
single storey out riggers either side, housing
three generous guest bedrooms and a snug
living room off to the left of the kitchen/
dining on the ground floor, which also opens
out onto the patio beyond.