| Clowne
This new home has two specific points of focus. The first to create a highly sustainable home. The second to create an accessible home for the family.
The design uses two staggered forms. Internally this creates a separation between living and bedroom spaces, whilst they remain on a single level. Externally this staggered form creates courtyard spaces and reduces the visual scale of the development. Materials are important in creating this home's unique character. The lower part of the house is clad in a charred larch cladding, the charring creates a beautiful natural character and protection. Elsewhere black corrugated cladding is used in a contemporary manner to create a modern agricultural aesthetic.
Using the Passivhaus Planning Package we have adjusted the design to ensure a comfortable living environment that has extremely low running costs and a well-balanced use of daylight. Embodied energy is an important consideration in this build. The external walls are being constructed from pre-fabricated straw and timber panels, a system which encapsulates over 30 tonnes of CO2 in the wall structure alone.
The project will be self-built, we are working together with the clients to coordinate the works and we are excited to see this project progress to site over the coming months.
The design uses two staggered forms. Internally this creates a separation between living and bedroom spaces, whilst they remain on a single level. Externally this staggered form creates courtyard spaces and reduces the visual scale of the development. Materials are important in creating this home's unique character. The lower part of the house is clad in a charred larch cladding, the charring creates a beautiful natural character and protection. Elsewhere black corrugated cladding is used in a contemporary manner to create a modern agricultural aesthetic.
Using the Passivhaus Planning Package we have adjusted the design to ensure a comfortable living environment that has extremely low running costs and a well-balanced use of daylight. Embodied energy is an important consideration in this build. The external walls are being constructed from pre-fabricated straw and timber panels, a system which encapsulates over 30 tonnes of CO2 in the wall structure alone.
The project will be self-built, we are working together with the clients to coordinate the works and we are excited to see this project progress to site over the coming months.
Project Factfile:
Project Stage: Pre-Construction
Architecture: Croft Design Collective LLP
Structural Engineer: JAM Structural Engineers
MVHR: Green Building Store
Heating: Air source Heat Pump
Windows: Velfac
Annual Heat Demand: 21 kWh/m2a (Design Stage)
Construction Type: Pre-Fabricated Straw Panels (Modcell)
Architecture: Croft Design Collective LLP
Structural Engineer: JAM Structural Engineers
MVHR: Green Building Store
Heating: Air source Heat Pump
Windows: Velfac
Annual Heat Demand: 21 kWh/m2a (Design Stage)
Construction Type: Pre-Fabricated Straw Panels (Modcell)
Sustainable Design
This project takes a truly holistic view on sustainability. From day one, we worked with the Passivhaus Planning Package to refine the design and reduce the energy demand of the home. Due to its single storey nature, and other constraints, it is not possible to certify the home to the Passivhaus standards, but by designing using these tools we can ensure the energy use will be kept very low.
The external wall construction will be a pre-fabricated panel from Agile homes, this is a composite straw and timber panel that is has brilliant insulative and hygroscopic properties. In this project the panel system also encapsulates 30 tonnes of C02 in the wall structure alone. This has a massive impact on the environmental impact of the project as a whole.
The external wall construction will be a pre-fabricated panel from Agile homes, this is a composite straw and timber panel that is has brilliant insulative and hygroscopic properties. In this project the panel system also encapsulates 30 tonnes of C02 in the wall structure alone. This has a massive impact on the environmental impact of the project as a whole.
Technical Design
This is a project that is relatively simple in its form, but keeping that simplicity requires a high level of refinement at the technical design stage. Every junction is carefully considered to keep the crisp clean lines of the form to allow the ‘beauty in its simplicity’ to shine through. This means we have given special consideration to service runs, to make sure that the MVHR ducting is discreet (concealed in a void in the valley between the two pitched structures). Early stage thinking about aspects such as service routes really helps to create a successful clean aesthetic.
Good coordination is required to achieve a successful outcome, a good example of this is the floor slab on this project. The slab needs to be designed by the structural engineers, but it will also contain underfloor heating pipework, and receive a polished finish. As the project will have a self-build procurement route, this requires careful coordination and programming to ensure the specification, timings and install is sufficient for all involved.
Good coordination is required to achieve a successful outcome, a good example of this is the floor slab on this project. The slab needs to be designed by the structural engineers, but it will also contain underfloor heating pipework, and receive a polished finish. As the project will have a self-build procurement route, this requires careful coordination and programming to ensure the specification, timings and install is sufficient for all involved.