We are ecstatic to have received planning approval for our project Mulberry. A truly exceptional scheme and one that signifies the practice’s creativity, expertise and ambition.
We proposed that the existing house was demolished as its construction was poor quality and unsympathetically designed with no merit in the Conservation Area. We wanted to make a one-off statement house and pavilion, demonstrating outstanding design, that blends discretely with the surrounding Green Belt landscape mimicking the contours of the local topography.
The front, north facing entrance appears single storey, of minimal design and openings. The true scale and ingenuity of the house reveals itself at the rear, maintaining the appearance of a two-storey dwelling with a hidden lower ground floor. The organic curved form with contemporary detailing of traditional materials, reduces the visible mass of the building which is further hidden due to the existing mature landscaping, which is further enhanced with native planting. A subterranean Pavilion with swimming pool is open on two sides and will be an oasis secluded from civilisation, to sit, relax, enjoy the ponds (formed as part of the water management of the site) and wider landscape.
The design works hard with technology, utilising the energy of the sun, the water and the earth. This synergy is facilitated by vertical ground and air source heat pumps, solar panels, electric vehicle charging, sustainable drainage systems, and sustainable and efficient construction methods.
Mulberry is a ground-breaking piece of architecture. A truly special home for our clients that proves that Net-Zero is an attainable standard. We hope it will the first of many and inspire future homes to excel to this level of architecture. We love it!