Award Winning Sustainable New Build
Winner of a Sussex Heritage Trust Award 2016
Judges Comment:
“The building is of high quality with great attention to architectural details and finishes. A brave use of materials which complement the area.
The sitting of the natural pool sets off the back garden area.”
The design of this imaginative new build home blended traditional materials in its construction with a distinctly contemporary interior.
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The Project
Built on the site of an old 1980’s bungalow Stones was designed based on a careful survey of existing forms and materials in the immediate vicinity.
Traditional forms of Sussex domestic architecture in the immediate vicinity have been drawn together in careful composition to create a harmonious design which will take up its position in an unassuming manner, sympathetic to the woodland setting it occupies and subordinate to the Grade 2 listed two storey Yeomans House which lies some 40 metres to the north behind a mature woodland screen and on higher ground.
The roof form is in a stepped hip form and this is contrasted against a straightforward gable form, providing visual interest and breaking up the form of the building. An unassuming zinc finished dormer rises from the east roof pitch to bring natural light into the middle of the roof volume.
The predominant material used on the exterior walls is flintwork with brick corners and window reveals. This picks up on the predominant use of facing brickwork and flintwork in the local context. Where lintels or framing elements are seen on the external elevations they will be in unfinished green oak.
The flat gables are finished in cedar shingles, which over time will weather to match the weathered oak structural elements and complement the brick and flintwork.
The roof is made up of natural blue grey slate with zinc flashings, hips and ridges.
At the back of the house is a truly bespoke natural swimming pool.
Client Testimonial
“Being employed to build an architect’s own home is a tough challenge for a builder. The architecture and design of Stones was our labour of love and we had very high expectations of the build to realise its construction.
Added to this, the fact that James has completed in excess of 60 new build homes in the past and the fact that we had not worked with this contractor in the past, the build of our new home was a tall order for the Nicholls Countryside team.
Despite this challenge we were extremely impressed with the outcome. Richard and his team were a delight to work with, polite, efficient and above all the had a happy can-do attitude. It was thoroughly refreshing to work with such a collaborative team of builders and craftsmen.
This design scheme is a blend of traditional materials and construction married with a clean, contemporary interior. The apparent simplicity of the minimal internal finishes are in reality more of a challenge to build and finish well. Included in the scheme were a multitude of bespoke design elements many of which the team had not done before.
We are pleased to say that Richard and his team rose the our challenges with great aplomb and took on each task with intelligence and care. When issues arose, and they always do with private houses, Richard dealt with the tasks with patience and eternally positive attitude.
We hope the Nicholls team enjoyed building our home as much as we did.”