Project: The Leyland House
A replacement family house on a leafy suburban site in Goring on Thames for two doctors and their three children. The existing 1970s brick and tile house is replaced with a simple, two-storey rectangular form that straddles the rear of the site, maximizing the south facing garden space. A single storey masonry wing projects forward to the eastern end addressing the approach driveway and forms an entrance loggia to the house. The flat roofed form ensures the house maintains a low profile while also hiding a series of solar thermal panels. A open-plan kitchen-dining-living space has a fully glazed wall onto a south-facing terrace, while also addressing a retained swimming pool at one end. The house is clad in western red cedar boarding, while the projecting wing is in a red brick typical of the locality, that returns to enclose the north façade at ground level. A brick chimney forms the centerpiece of the living space and anchors the house to its site. The living spaces have a fully glazed facade to the garden, recessed to avoid solar gains, and open out onto a large terrace, while near to the entrance, a herb garden hides behind a freestanding wall. The staircase serves a corridor with low level windows lending views down on the north facade. A master bedroom suite sits at the west end with distant views – three further bedrooms face south. The external envelope is predominately made up of two interlocking distinct materials: vertical timber board (Western Red Cedar) mainly found to the first storey and a red brick plinth at ground level. A blue coloured acrylic render will form the panel that addresses the entrance beneath the red brick loggia.
The requirement for space heating is minimised by high levels of insulation and robust detailing to minimise air leakage. Heating is to be provided by an efficient gas condensing boiler serving low pressure hot water system with under floor heating. Secondary space heating is to be provided through the use of a wood burning stove. This biomass system is a carbon neutral process, as the CO2 emitted through burning is the same as that absorbed while growing. It is proposed to use local fuel sources from managed woodlands which will contribute to local investment and employment whilst minimising transport miles. An array of solar thermal panels on the upper roof will provide hot water. These will not be visible behind the roof parapets.
Windows, vent panels and fascias below the windows, are to be powder coated aluminium in a dark grey colour. Glazing to the bathrooms will be opaque for privacy and overlooking reasons. The proposed roof material of the single storey element will be a Sedum extensive ‘green’ roof.
PROJECT DETAILS Client: Status: Contract value:
Drs Martin + Anna Leyland Completion 2014 £500,000.00
Structural Engineer: Net floor area:
Momentum 257M2 GIA.