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Sugden House, Chorleywood,
Hertfordshire
UK
Images Copyright Kirkland Fraser Moor
This design is for a new replacement dwelling on the site of a 1950’s house. The proposal will include a five bed house.
The form of the house has been derived from a response to solar orientation, privacy and quality of external space. Local planning policy indicates that flank wall windows are to be discouraged for reasons of privacy to adjoining properties. As this design proposal aims to reduce its carbon foot print we are aiming to capitalise on passive solar gain from southern orientation and as such the form must able to accommodate. The site runs west to east and a southern aspect for the building would require flank wall windows. The external walls have therefore been oriented to face SW and SE creating the triangular plan form. The windows associated with these walls are then treated as bay windows that have glazing angled away from adjoining properties.
By adopting this strategy overlooking and privacy issues are not compromised yet our goals of solar orientation and passive solar gain can be achieved. This has provided the basic plan geometry.
From the site frontage the house has been designed to mimic the traditional English garden wall. The actual house will effectively be built behind these walls which also form discreet south facing external courtyards to provide varied external amenity space.
Visually the house has been ‘split’ into two joined by a fully glazed transparent entrance space. This division assists with breaking down the visual mass of the house whilst also allowing for a private aspect to the accommodation, useful for a young growing family.