Hertfordshire House
On a site located in East Hertfordshire, and within the Green Belt, Marjoram Architects were commissioned to design a new five bedroom family home. The new house, which is to replace the existing five bedroom dwelling on the site, creates a contemporary yet sympathetic response to the green and open site.
| Client | Private |
| Budget | Undisclosed |
| Type | Residential |
| LPA | East Hertfordshire |
| Status | Construction |
The new dwelling is oriented to create a strong connection to the existing garden and greenbelt beyond.
By occupying a more southern location within the site than the existing house a new arrival courtyard is created with covered cloister leading to a glazed double height entrance space.
Internally, interconnecting voids and open feature staircase link the ground and first floor.
Open plan living space, spanning the width of the house at ground and first floor, creates a panoramic connection to the garden, with terraces on the upper level framing views across the fields beyond.
Generous bedrooms, with en-suites and private terraces surround the open plan entertaining space are located at first floor.
The building is articulated with generously proportioned fenestration which provide excellent natural daylight levels throughout and facilitate views in different directions across the site.
Solar gain and the potential for overheating has been carefully considered and has influenced the massing and form of the dwelling.
The slim roof profile on the south facade projects forward to create a substantial canopy, reducing overheating during summer months.
While at ground floor a projecting zinc clad surround provides the necessary solar shading to the transparent façade at this level.
The proposed material palette takes reference from the existing and surrounding context, using earthy and traditional materials alongside more contemporary materials in a sympathetic yet complementary manner.
The main external building material is a light coloured Roman brick which responds to the vernacular of render or brick construction within the vicinity of the site.
Different brick bonding is used to create definition, added depth and detail within the façade.
A contrasting charred timber cladding is also proposed to areas of the façade with the sole aim of creating a visually pleasing intervention that is complementary to the brickwork and sympathetic to the heavily wooded site.
