The Knowle, Oakridge Lynch, Stroud

We were delighted to receive planning permission for a replacement dwelling on a complex site in Oakridge Lynch. The two storey split level home is built into the bank, with the low lying design opening onto the garden to enjoy the picturesque southerly views across the Golden Valley. The change in level across the site, protected Yew trees and historical significance of a neighbouring Grade-II Listed Weaver’s Cottage on the site provided a series of constraints, but also an opportunity to achieve a highly innovative and creative contemporary architectural design.

The design will provide a highly sustainable family home. Exemplary levels of insulation will minimize energy consumption and reduce the long term running costs, while providing year round comfort. A heat pump will be installed to provide heating and hot water, supplied by the electricity generated by the photovoltaic panels (PV’s).

The layout is tailored to the site, using the southerly orientation to provide a bright and daylight filled living space. Shading provided by a planted canopy will control solar gain during summer months.

The design was developed through close collaboration with the Local Authority to address the site constraints and opportunities. The design is positioned to the rear of the site, forming a harmonious relationship with the Grade-II Listed Weaver’s Cottage, whereby the new and old complement one another and demonstrate the evolution of modern living standards.

Timber cladding and natural stone are partnered with a green roof and high performance windows and doors. The materials are both contextually sensitive while being of high quality and hard wearing. They can be locally sourced and this helps to reduce the embodied energy. Furthermore with the demolition of an existing cottage these materials will be repurposed to help form the new home.

Fir Tree Cottage, Chalford

Planning permission received for a single storey contemporary extension to a historic Cotswold cottage, located in a Conservation Area.

The new extension provides an open plan kitchen/dining area, with glazed doors opening onto the garden. A natural zinc roof forms a cantilevered canopy to provide solar shading, while a slot rooflight brings daylight into the rear of the extension.

Haveling Cottage / Knowle House - Site Start

Knowle House and Haveling Cottage are both underway on site. Knowle House involves a contemporary single storey extension to a grade-II listed Cotswold Villa, while the works at Haveling Cottage will remodel the circulation to the traditional Cotswold cottage to centre around a light filled kitchen and dining space. The two projects use materials which naturally weather and age to sit comfortably in their setting including natural stone, zinc and oak. Specialist glazing is used in both projects which will fill the living space with natural daylight, opening onto to the garden, while also providing year round comfort with exemplary thermal performance and minimized heating costs.

Beech Cottage, Bisley, Stroud

Beech Cottage nears completion with only the external landscaping remaining to the house. Works can now begin on the nearby outbuilding to provide a workshop and studio.

The house includes a range of unique light filled spaces, which frame the stunning views across the valley. The exterior and interior share the same attention to detail and we worked closely with the client and contractor to develop the design of each space to achieve an exceptional quality of finish. This involves careful choice of materials to provide exciting and vibrant living spaces.

The high levels of thermal insulation throughout the house, including the upgrade of the historic cottage, meant an air source heat pump could be installed to work with optimal efficiency. The new pump supplies the underfloor heating system throughout the house, as well as providing hot water. This means the house can be sustainably heated, switching away from an oil fed boiler, while also reducing consumption and energy costs.

Green Cottage

Green Cottage has recently reached completion. We worked closely with the contractor to negotiate the steep site and provide two new extensions at the side and rear of the historic cottage. The two storey side extension provides a new kitchen opening onto the terrace. A new master bedroom at first floor benefits from a Juliet balcony to appreciate the stunning views across the valley.

The glazed single storey extension provides a garden room with high performance glazing to retain heat and provide year round comfort and use of the space. The use of natural materials including Larch timber cladding and natural zinc means they will age and weather, recording the history of the building, and complementing the natural stone of the original historic cottage.

Yokehouse Lane Barn, Painswick, Stroud

Planning permission received for the residential conversion and extension to a historic barn, located near Painswick. The Barn was historically a cottage which was later adapted into a Barn, with notable remaining features including a bread oven. We worked collaboratively with the Local Authority to develop the design, exploring design options with a Pre-Application prior to making a formal planning application.

The proposal will provide an exciting double height living space, which connects to a new extension. The extension combines timber and stone cladding, with a green sedum roof and zinc, bringing together traditional construction with contemporary design. In this way the extension complements and enhances the barns original features.

The Barn will be thermally insulated throughout to provide a comfortable and modern family home. The extension was developed to suit its orientation and setting with large areas of north facing glazing, providing a dynamic light filled living space. The Barn will also have large elegant glazed doors, opening the Barn to its picturesque rural setting.

Quietways, Whiteshill

Planning permission has been received for a two storey extension to a historic Cotswold cottage. The design capitalises on the stunning views to the east across the valley, with sliding glass doors and inset balcony at first floor, maximising light and transparency. The design uses timber and natural zinc to complement the natural stone of the original cottage. The timber cladding will gradually age and silver in its setting, while the zinc will develop a patina to give variation to the surface finish.

At ground floor a new open plan kitchen and dining space will open onto the garden with a terraced area. At first floor a new master bedroom, ensuite and dressing room will have an impressive vaulted ceiling, which opens to a covered roof terrace.

The extension is designed to suite its setting, using solar gain to warm the space through winter months, while providing a cool and comfortable living space throughout the summer. High performance windows and doors, together with added insulation throughout the design will minimize energy consumption, its long term footprint and running costs.

7 Parliament Street, Stroud

We were delighted to receive planning permission for x7 flats and x2 small offices spaces on a former garage site. The prominent site is visible approaching Stroud, located west of the town centre, and will provide a high quality addition to the eclectic mix of housing in this area.

We worked collaboratively with the Local Authority to develop the design, maximising the site’s potential while providing a sympathetic and highly contextual design. This developed out of thorough historical research and rigorous exploration of the design to provide a site specific design appropriate to Stroud. This is a key part of our approach to design, which results from our appreciation and understanding of the particular charm and character of Stroud and the Cotswolds.

The design is highly sustainable, repurposing a brownfield site to provide a modern living and working environment. PV’s/Solar Panels are located atop the office space, generating and storing sufficient energy to surpass annual energy requirements. The use of an extensive green roofs also provide a biodiverse environment to support local ecology, together with a generous communal garden for all to enjoy. A combination of ‘Juliet-style’ balconies and inset rooftop balconies capitalise on the stunning views across Stroud, while flooding the living spaces with natural daylight. High quality composite (aluminium + timber) windows provide exemplary thermal efficiency, which together with high levels of insulation throughout the design will radically reduce the long term operational energy, running costs and resulting carbon footprint.

The design is based on a modern interpretation of the terraced housing which formerly occupied the site that was later demolished during the works to redirect Parliament Street in the mid 20th century. Zinc, red brickwork and render create the stepped terrace design which follows the steep gradient of Parliament Street. The terraced design reforms the vertical street rhythm which historically characterised this part of Stroud, with slim and elegant proportions to each ‘unit’ contributing to a more vibrant street setting.

The design developed out of a response to the complex site constraints, including the ground contamination resulting from the site’s former use as a scrapyard and garage, as well as the complex site levels. The layout consequently follows the natural topography of the land, with the car park set down to the rear of the site to preserve the impressive westerly views across Stroud.

Brownshill Court, Wick Street

Planning permission granted for the residential conversion and extension to two former Stable Outbuildings within the grounds of the Grade-II* Listed Brownshill Court. The conversion will provide 2 separate 1-Bed and a 3-Bed properties, serving as ancillary living space to the main house. The design retains the charm of the original stables, with extensive repairs to the two buildings to restore their day to day use.

A series of rooflights and new windows/doors will bring natural daylight into the living space. The East Stables will also benefit from a double height living space with mezzanine and feature staircase. The existing building fabric will be thermally insulated throughout to minimize energy consumption and long term maintenance costs. This will be supported by a highly efficient underfloor heating system ideally suited to the buildings volume, ensuring year round comfort to the two buildings.

Beech Cottage, Bisley

Glazing installation in progress at Beech Cottage to provide a weather tight building ready to receive the internal finishes. Specialist cranes were used to negotiate the tricky access constraints to the site.

High performance triple glazing is used throughout the design to minimize heat loss and reduce running costs. An Air Source Heat pump hidden to the rear supplies the underfloor heating to the house. The underfloor heating is cast into a concrete screed which provides a thermal mass that maintains a comfortable temperature throughout the day and night.

The Buckholt, Cranham

Planning permission granted for a replacement rear extension to The Buckholt, Cranham. The historic property is complemented by a sensitively designed single storey glazed extension with large sliding glass doors which open onto the garden. A slot type rooflight brings together new and old, joining the existing house with the extension, while bringing daylight into the living space. A light weight and thin profile green sedum roof, floats above the extension, complementing the natural stone and glazing. This extends into a solar canopy which controls solar gain during the summer months. Internally, a feature fireplace and a dramatic double height entrance hall with clerestory windows will provide eye catching features within the design.

4 Castle Villas, Stroud

With the extension largely complete works now begins on the garden and external solar canopy.

We completed a shadow analysis to help develop the design of the solar canopy to be installed at 4 Castle Villas, Stroud. The design of the louvres is responsive to seasonality. Due to the south facing orientation of the extension a series of overhead stainless steel louvres will provide shade during the summer months, controlling solar gain to provide a comfortable living space. During winter, the louvres allow the lower angle of the sun to warm the extension through solar gain, reducing energy consumption as part of the highly sustainable design.

Green Cottage, Chalford

Work begins on the internals at Green Cottage with the two extensions now water tight. A new side extension to the historic cottage adds a kitchen and utility room with a master bedroom at first floor including a Juliet balcony. Clad in timber and zinc the materials will naturally weather, ‘silvering’ to complement the stone of the cottage. The second extension, a new glazed summer room, capitalises on the stunning views across the Golden Valley, with sliding glass doors which will open onto an external terrace to be installed in the coming weeks.

Knowle House, Cranham

Planning permission received for a single storey extension to a Grade-II Listed house in Cranham. The design is carefully formed to the east of the house, providing an elegant living space with stunning views across the valley. The angled footprint orientates the extension to maximise views while clerestory windows provide eye level views of the forest skyline north of the house. Sliding glass doors open onto the garden with a solar canopy above controlling glare. A slot type rooflight joins the extension to the existing house, casting daylight across the natural stone wall of the house. The extension will benefit from underfloor heating and carefully controlled solar gain to warm the space through winter months, together with a feature wood burning stove.

The house is of special historical interest, illustrating an adaptation of the standard Stroud/Painswick gabled cottage into a Victorian villa. The extension complements the features of the house bringing together traditional and contemporary design to read as part of the natural evolution of the house.

The planning permission also includes the remodel and renovations of a nearby outbuilding to provide a modern work from home studio.

Haveling Cottage, Chalford

Planning permission received for a single storey extension and new dormers to a historic property in Chalford. The design provides a new open plan kitchen/dining space and entrance hallway. A new dormer provides added headroom to relocate the staircase, linking the extension to the cottage.

A standing seam metal roof, timber cladding and natural Cotswold stone provide a complementary material palette to the cottage, bringing together new and old, traditional and contemporary. Large areas of glazing bring natural daylight into the living space, together with a feature ‘slot’ rooflight overhead.

High levels of insulation throughout minimize energy consumption, reducing the carbon footprint of the building, while also lowering energy bills for the both the cottage and extension. Locally sourced and highly sustainable materials also reduce the embodied energy of the building.

The Charcoal Hut, Cranham

Planning permission received for the renovation and extension to an outbuilding in a historic setting. The outbuilding, set within the former grounds to the Grade-II Listed Knowle House will be remodelled and extended to provide a home studio. The extension includes a light weight sculptural zinc roof which floats over a glazed extension. The zinc will naturally weather to sit sympathetically in its setting, complementing the natural stone walls to the outbuilding. The extension adds a hallway with clerestorey windows, providing eyeline views across the raised garden while bringing daylight into the space. High levels of insulation throughout will provide year round use and comfort to the space, minimizing energy consumption and the long term footprint of the space.

4 Castle Villas, Stroud

The bi-fold doors have just been installed and the oak frame and cladding also completed. The oak will naturally weather to a silvery finish to sit comfortably in its setting within a conservation area. Additional windows above the bi-fold doors will be electronically controlled to provide ventilation during warmer weather.

The roof awaits the installation of the PV’s (Photovoltaics) which will dramatically reduce the energy consumption of the existing house and cover all energy requirements for the extension. Louvres over the oak frame canopy above the bi-fold doors will provide solar shading, controlling solar gain, together with high levels of insulation throughout to minimize heat loss. The extension will be an outstanding example of high quality sustainable design.

Beech Cottage, Bisley

Viewed from the bank above the house, the design is built into the hillside. The natural copper will quickly weather and develop a dark patina, similar to a rust colour, reflecting the autumnal colours of the natural landscape. The black zinc of the pitched roof provides a crisp finish with a feature rooflight to the bathroom and a zinc dormer in the cottage providing carefully considered picturesque views out to the surrounding woodlands.

Tresco, Winchcombe

Planning permission has been achieved for a replacement dwelling on the edge of the historic Cotswold town, Winchcombe. The contemporary design creates a two storey home, with a large open plan ground floor living space and sleeping accommodation contained within the eaves of the roof. Carefully placed window openings bring daylight into the living spaces, together with sliding glass doors to the south which open onto the garden. The master bedroom includes an inset terrace at first floor which provides long range views across the Cotswolds. Solar gain is controlled by a planted overhead canopy to ensure year round comfort to living space.

4 Castle Villas, Stroud

The hybrid oak and steel frame is complete, beginning to show the form of the new summer room. The double height space will benefit from slim wide openable windows at high level which naturally ventilate the space. The gable will be glazed to bring natural daylight into the living space. Work now begins on the studwork and insulating the walls and roof, using mineral wool to achieve exemplary thermal performance, minimizing heat loss and energy consumption.