Case Studies

At ground floor, the proposal offers a utility, back kitchen and boot room which will alleviate the current limitations of the existing home whilst the proposed garage space will allow for suitable secured and covered parking and essential storage space for the active lifestyle of the family. The reconfiguration of the first floor level is to provide additional sleeping accommodation for a family of five whilst maximizing natural light, ventilation and rural views to the south.

Our clients have lived at their home, for the past 4 decades. Over this period, the house has undergone significant alterations, underpinning of the entire structure, conversion of the first floor roof space and various extensions to the footprint to meet the needs of a growing family. Our client now wishes to make alterations to suit their current needs and provide a sustainable, low maintenance and accessible home for lifetime enjoyment. A space they can welcome their visiting grandchildren but with a primary focus on their enjoyment of entire the house, facilities, external amenity and surrounding views into the future.

The new dwelling will offer a far higher specification than can be achieved with the existing building and will benefit from more sustainable materials, construction methods and a higher performing thermal envelope, to mitigate environmental impact and embodied energy as much as possible, with the addition of passive and active systems to optimise in-use performance. 

The design incorporates a high quality pool,terrace and deck design into a relatively tight and challenging site, maintaining the connections between the house and differing levels, reusing/ re-incorporating excavation material back into the scheme, with minimal environmental impact. 

Our clients approached us after they purchased a property nestled in Guernsey cliff. The original intent was to try to alter, upgrade and extend the existing building to provide the additional space that our clients wanted to achieve for their family needs.

We have chosen to approach the design as a rational response to the site conditions and rural setting, the form essentially being driven by the programme of space required, best oriented to take advantage of light and views, and the existing circulation/access points and site levels, avoiding existing mature planting and trees.