Planning permission has been granted this December for a new-build contemporary home in Ashburton, South Devon. Located in the historic stannary town of Ashburton, and within the Dartmoor National Park, achieving permission for a contemporary new dwelling at this site might have been a challenge. The new proposals however have been met with unanimous support from the Local Planning Authority, the Ashburton Town Council, and the local residents.
The existing 3 bedroom bungalow was no longer fit for purpose, and the clients wished to build a new home that gives them generous open-plan living space whilst embracing the garden. The resultant design focuses the kitchen and living area, and the master bedroom suite, around a ‘walled garden’ courtyard.
Large glass sliding doors, with glazing above, allow the internal spaces to open-up to the garden, and bring in huge amounts of natural light. Expressed structural elements support the over-sailing roof, which twists and rises up from one end of the house to the other, finishing at a dramatic point over the living area. This roof not only gives excitement and drama to the architecture, but provides solar shading to the rooms during the summer months.
A key part of the client’s brief was to have a garden area that felt enclosed and protected with good visual connection to the kitchen and living areas, so that their young grand children could play with freedom but in safety.
The house is broken into two volumes. The long spinal volume has the twisting metal roof and is clad in naturally silvered timber slats. It houses the entrance and spare bedrooms on the road-side, and the main kitchen and living area on the garden side. The other volume is flat roofed and covered in an insulating green sedum blanket. It is clad in black stained timber slats as a contrast to the lighter spinal volume, and houses the master bedroom suite, overlooking the courtyard, as well as a covered car-port for those rainy days in Devon.
It is hoped to build the house in 2016 and utilise off-site timber construction methods for a quick build turn-around.
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