Holshaw House

Holshaw House

A modern one-off house within the side garden of an existing 1980s home.

Project year
2016

Location
Hertfordshire

Pinchin Architects were approached by private homeowners in Hertfordshire to look at proposals to develop a modern one-off house within the side garden of their existing 1980s house plot: their dream home. The idea behind the development was to create a contemporary property in relation to the one the owners currently lived in. We needed to design a plan which would suit their lifestyle and needs better than their current house did.

Immediately on stepping through the door of the development, the open plan offers a view from the foyer through to the dining area and into the sunken living room. The step down into the living room creates a much bigger floor to ceiling height, allowing light to flood the space and offering a real sense of grandeur. A slightly raised kitchen/breakfast room is positioned within the triangular projecting element to the west of the main accommodation.

On the first floor, the house offers four generous bedrooms. The master bedroom also benefits from its own en suite, walk-in wardrobe and private terrace, which overlooks the beautifully landscaped garden. The bedrooms also feature full height glazed windows to ensure maximum daylight.

The concept of the house was created using three main elements when viewed in elevation: the brick base, the projecting first floor and a projecting triangular form. We proposed a red multi-brick plinth at ground floor level to give the building an air of solidity and permanence about it. Brick is one of the most enduring facing materials and weathers naturally over time. It also allowed the property fit into context with the other brick properties in the area. While the design aims to push the architectural style forward into something more contemporary, it also remains sensitive to the style and character of the area through the use of brick.

The first floor and triangular element consist of black vertically profiled aluminium cladding, adding a sense of texture and an on-trend industrial feel to the facade. The contrast of colours successfully breaks up the elevation. By applying the same material to the annexe, the form blends organically into the first floor, making it a part of the natural design of the building rather than a bolted-on element.