Les Massies

Refiguring a family home to treasure the memories within while making it fit for a different phase of life. Les Massies has been our client’s family home for many years. Due to personal circumstances his use of the house have changed, however his attachment to the memories it holds meant it required a sensitive approach to the proposed alterations. Our approach balanced retaining the character and charm of the historic building while delivering a functional and simple living zone with the comforts of modern technology. Key to the design was providing flexibility and accessibility for the client to enjoy in later life. The existing conservatory suffered from damp ingress and was virtually unusable during the hotter and cooler months, excluding it from day-to-day life in the home. The kitchen offered little connection to the garden, and was isolated from the existing living and entertaining spaces. However, the position and layout of the kitchen held valuable memories for our client, so the orientation and spatial arrangement of the extension had to be configured to retain these important characteristics. The scale and placement of glazing was purposeful to enhance the link to the outside, framing specific views of the garden and providing natural light throughout the day to the previously dark interior, whilst encouraging a natural flow within. The extension projects beyond the rear building line, pinching the last of the evening sunlight and providing a sheltered terrace, shaded by an oak brise soleil integrated within the structural frame. It was important not to compromise the character of the property. We configured a spatial arrangement coherent with the layout of the existing house, whilst also presenting a high-quality and complementary visual contrast. It sought to utilise modern construction methods, with a traditional material palette, offering a warm homely environment within a thermally and energy-efficient envelope that addresses the site topography, ancillary service requirements and the value of the garden in our client’s life. The buildings we live in need to perform different functions over time, but Les Massies proves that memory and belonging can remain, even when the form evolves.