Renovate or replace?

Although it seems a daunting idea, sometimes it's a more logical and environmentally sensible choice to start again.

This project started as a tired chalet bungalow in poor state of repair, with extensive work required to bring it back to any form of habitable standard.

Our clients, who had recently purchased this property situated in a popular North Devon coastal village, felt that its current layout did not meet their needs as a family home. They also wished to improve the efficiency of the building. On balance, it was felt that the most sensible way to proceed would be to replace the existing dwelling with one of modern construction. This would achieve a dramatic improvement in thermal performance and sustainability, and give them the chance to realise a space that really met their needs.

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Detailed analysis of the scale and form of the local vernacular in the immediate locale was undertaken to ensure the new dwelling still sat within the context of the street. We have also sought to ensure that when read as part of the street scene of the road, the dwelling responds to the adjacent roof forms and heights, whilst also being seen as part of the natural evolution of the buildings in this area.

The layout is based on an ‘upside down living’ approach, with all three bedrooms on the ground floor to clearly zone the building and create a larger living area at first floor level. Importantly, the proposal looked to utilise the existing sloping topography of the site to formally create a two storey section of the house, allowing it to function well as a family home.

At first floor level the plan is arranged around an open-plan living, kitchen and dining area focused to the south to maximise natural daylight and passive solar gain. Glazing has been maximised to the south but has incorporated area of solid timber and timber louvres to reduce the impact of any overlooking to and from neighbouring properties to the south.

The single storey wing to the east is a planted roof with potential to include PV and solar thermal renewable technologies.

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