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Situated high above one of the most sought-after bays on the north Cornish coast, Mawgan Porth, ARCO2 were commissioned to replace an existing dwelling that was no longer fit for purpose with a contemporary, highly sustainable home that would make the most of the ocean views at every turn. ARCO2 were chosen by the clients in part for their passion for highquality architecture in Cornwall, but also due to the fact that they design ‘healthy’ buildings built around the lives and needs of their clients.

The build was a ‘fabric-first’ construction. By maximising the performance of the components and materials that make up the building fabric itself, before considering the use of mechanical or electrical building services systems, helps to reduce capital and operational costs, improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. With a complex design, Director of ARCO2, Nathan Davis, explained how some of the challenges were tackled: “The use of 3D design software helped us to overcome most construction related complexities at the design stage. Thankfully, the main contractor (Billy Fullerton, Dan Hatfield and Ben Rushton of Lion Park Construction) had an exceptional eye for detail, taking great care and attention throughout the entire construction period. We had a close working relationship with them, with weekly meetings in order to keep the detailing on track. Each and every meeting was solution-led with Billy investing his time into bringing solutions rather than problems.

“The steel frame installation was a lengthy and painstaking process as they had to be millimetre perfect to enable a multitude of junctions to meet correctly. Cold bridge and

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