A mechanical heat exchange system and thick insulation make for
an energy efficient home. A study allows for working from home
or can become a spare bedroom for elderly relatives visiting. The
entrance is stepped up to meet flood requirements but these are
wide and gentle for ease of access.
The site is a former taxi garage and was designated as
contaminated land. All 1.5m of excavated soil had to be tested
and carefully disposed of. The garden walls are underpinned
rather than demolished. A steel and timber frame spans off the
existing walls to create the roof and floor structure. The roof
is constructed from plywood over timber joists, covered with
insulation and single-ply membrane. The geometry of the roof
appears simple but is in fact incredibly complicated. It was
modeled in 3D software, which enabled precise back and forth
between consultants to ensure that the huge steel beams were
completely hidden in the crisp angled finishes inside and by the
roof finishes outside.
www.vppr.co.uk
Architects: vPPR
Photographs: Ioana Marinescu, Noel Read
[Page 75] Archetech - Issue 20
The vaulted roofs are covered with two tones of single-ply
roofing membrane to produce a harlequin pattern, breaking up
the large area of roof and greatly improving the outlook, which
was previously onto rotten asphalt roofs. Inside the house, the
vaults meet at sharp plastered edges, concealing the downstand beams rather than expressing them. Vault-like elements
are repeated obsessively at each scale of the design, forming
sculptural chamfered edges to the windows, fireplace and TV wall.
The timber floors are laid in a cross pattern that reflects the vaults
above them.