Project: Housing on Cumnor Hill, Oxford
A cluster of five large detached houses for HAB Housing, founded by tv presenter and writer Kevin McCloud to challenge developer housing provision in the UK. HAB’s first custom build scheme lies in Oxford’s Cumnor Hill and perfectly dovetails their aspiration to develop schemes that straddle the opportunities and social life that towns can offer with the beauty and tranquility of the open countryside. The site is settled in an upmarket area just two miles from the city centre and at the jumping off point to the Cotswolds.
The houses are designed to allow buyers to customise their internal accommodation, from 3 to 6 bedrooms and a variety of living space provisions, at ground and first floors. Garages are re-imagined as a storage space, wine cellar, workshop or hobby space – as well as space for a car. Slatted timber doors allow filtered views through to gardens beyond.
will greatly reduce the need for space heating. Highly efficient wood burners will utilise timber felled on site during the early years of occupation.
Externally, textured chalky brickwork affords continuity to the development, while red-brown pre-patinated zinc roofs and larch timber cladding provide a natural palette to the houses. HAB always seeks to minimise the impact of the materials and products used in the construction of our projects and that of the construction process itself. The houses will be highly insulated homes with low air leakage combined with a heat recovery ventilation system. This approach
PROJECT DETAILS Client: HAB Housing Status: Consented Contract value: -
Planning consultant: Landscape Architect: Transport consultant:
GKA Robert Bray Associates AKS Ward