abbey house
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abbey house executive living in the heart of durham’s countryside 01
come inside and have a look around
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people are bespoke shouldnt your home be too ?
Abbey House is immediately identifiable as unique. From the Bunker it was born from to the glorious, light-flooded, open-plan living spaces upstairs and beyond to the ‘floating’ mezzanine level, Abbey House is every bit as unique as you are...
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Abbey House is steeped in history from top to bottom. The ground floor spaces are housed in a WWII munitions bunker which had fallen into disrepair. The bunkers (there are 23 others in *insert name of development here*, yours is number 2) are shrouded in mystery. Believed to have been built in the 1940’s by the Royal Army for Naval armourments. The bunkers didn’t even appear on a map until the 1970’s despite having stood on the site for 30 years. It is this sense of ‘hiding plane sight’ which gives Abbey House some of its most dazzling architectural features.
a little bit about the past Just across from the bunkers sits Finchale (pronounced Finkle) Abbey, after which Abbey House in named. A 13th Century Benedictine Priory ruin tucked into a meander of the River Wear it was traditionally home to around 50 monks. Now owned by English Heritage it is a real gem in Durhams religious history which is right on your doorstep. The site currently acts as a holiday park with a cluster of eco-lodges on site. Perfect for dog walks and evening strolls.
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Brasside is one of those ‘far enough to be away but close enough to be close’ places. A short drive to Durham City Centre, one of the most picturesque places in the country; a stones throw from the bustling City of NewcastleUpon-Tyne and all it has to offer as an arts, culture and nightlife melting pot; the resplendent Country Durham countryside adorned with colliery villages and the North-East coast stunning vistas at every turn.
A1 North
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 35 Minutes
With space aplenty to raise a family, enjoy a ride out on your mountain bike or just go for a Sunday stroll, Brasside offers everything you need and then a little bit more.
Durham City Centre 10 Minutes A1(M) South
close to nothing
Sunderland 30 Minutes
close to everything
Durham Heritage Coast 25 Minutes
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upstairs for thinking downstairs for dancing
Philosopher Vitruvius defined architecture as a triparte of elements: firmness, commodity and delight. The ground floor of Abbey House offers all three. A sense of being ‘within’ is instilled with dark brickwork, the firmness. The commodity is supplied through 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a fully equipped gym and a media room. Delight is ingrained in every space, painted with light and surprising at every turn.
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plot plan Abbey House is part of the Brasside Bunkers development. Traditionally plot number 2 in the complex. Situated at the front of the site, Abbey House has unrestricted south views. ‘Off-road’ parking provision for 3 cars on a slate gravel driveway and a soft, rural feel to the landscaping provide a sense of belonging to the land, in keeping with Durhams rural traditions.
wild grassland
parking
shale driveway
main access road
ground floor plan 1
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cinema room - 1 gym - 2 utility - 3
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spa/bathroom - 4 entrance hall - 5
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toilet - 6 6
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bathroom - 7 bedroom - 8 en suite - 9 master bedroom - 10 walk-in-wardrobe - 11
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Arriving home is a special thing. Be it from a long day at the office or a long break on a sunny beach stepping through that front door gives you an inimitable sense of terminus. A sense of arrival. Abbey House boasts a stunning, cavernous entrance hall. Slender, linear stairs run up one side of the triple height space flooded with light from above by day. By night, the space becomes more cosy, welcoming you into the heart of your home. For a 2D interactive panorama of the entrance hall, scan the QR code below with your smart phone or tablet.
people always say you should look up more often
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sleep is the best meditation
Human beings spend roughly a third of their lives asleep. So a bedroom that you want to be in should be key to any home. Abbey House features 3 generous double bedrooms top lit by clerestory glazing above the beds so you can quite literally fall asleep under the stars. The master bedroom is an expansive affair. With your own walk in wardbrobe and en suite bathroom (only accessible from the bedroom) it offers a real sense of retreat. The bedroom itself is lit by a floor to ceiling glass wall providing unrestricted views south across the beautiful countryside. Perfect for those lazy Sunday mornings. To take a look around the Master Bedroom , scan the QR code below with your smart phone or tablet.
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Water and light are two of the most common themes in meditation. Abbey House’s main bathroom/spa combines those elements to give you a tranquil retreat. Lay in the bath and watch the stars by night or sweat it out in the sauna after a heavy day.
a good bathroom cleans the mind body and soul
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upstairs is where the living is done
Upstairs lies a melting pot. Spaces that flow seamelessly into one another. Maintaining specific purpose, yet blurring boundaries between activity. The act of cooking becomes an act of social interaction. The act of social interaction becomes integral. Relationships are forged, strengthened and played out in spaces like these. Upstairs... is where the living is done.
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first floor plan 1 - green roof 2 - circulation 3 - kitchen 4 - lounge 5 - dining space
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6 - sun terrace
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mezzanine floor plan office/study - 1
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Sensational shadow play and a huge, frame, elevated views characterised the upper spaces in Abbey House. A strict counter top height limit in the kitchen (utilising Fisher and Paykel© under counter ovens, dishwashers and fridge/freezers with Miele© counter top extraction) means views across the space are never compromised. The whole space is geared towards a more social way of living. Interaction between kitchen, dining and lounge spaces means whatever your family is doing, you’re doing it together. To view the open plan area as an interactive panorama, scan the QR code below with your smart phone or tablet.
cooking dining lounging living
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knowledge has always flowed upwards
Open plan living sounds great, doesn’t it? But what about those times it all gets a bit too much and you need to escape? Abbey House features a large mezzanine that ‘floats’ above the open plan first floor to provide that retreat. Use it as an office, a snug or just as a place to relax.
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light displays its brilliance only against a\ backdrop of darkness
On approach, Abbey House appears solid. A monolith atop a mound. As you approach it opens up slowly. Gradually revealling what lies beneath its skin. And by night? By night the house shines outward, proudly displaying its occupancy. Signalling it’s use as the most important of all architecture. That of the abode.
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look like home to you ?
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for further details please contact
0191 xxx xxx sales@brassidebunkers.com
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abbey house was designed as part of the masters in architecture course at northumbria university 2014 to 2015 by andrew thompson