Project: The Wing House
A 600M2 house on a spectacular site overlooking the Solent set within the New Forest National Park. The design is founded on the idea of embracing the view and so assumes a crescent-shaped form that offers an organic response to the site. This is realised as a two storey element containing all the main living spaces which is held within a stone-coloured brick shell that is fronted by a curved glazed wall to the south, with encapsulated timber opening panels and cantilevered glazed balcony, all set beneath an overhanging roof to provide solar shading and avoid the possibility of glare when viewed from the coast. To the entrance front, single-storey ‘service’ accommodation abuts the curved element and contains staff accommodation, utility, storage and garage spaces set within three distinct, stepping forms that are clad in a dark treated beech boarding. A gym and swimming pool to the western end of the house completes the composition The house is for a couple and their two young children and the brief was for a home that exploited the sea views from every habitable room, while also accommodating a live-in housekeeper, ‘back of house’ storage and service rooms, as well as cars, bikes and garden equipment. The entrance is on the north side and is marked by a white aluminium framework set in front of the dark boarded lower volume which is split into three distinct ‘boxes’, each stepping both forward and upwards. To the west of the entrance the staff accommodation keeps an eye on the driveway, while to the east, parking and garage is provided. From the entrance lobby, the circulation space along the back of the twostorey rear wall of the curved part of the building has continuous roof glazing so that the brick slides from outside in. A double-height stair hall provides simultaneous spatial drama and sea views. To one side is a day room with sliding screens opening into a tv room and children’s bedrooms with en suites, while to the other side, two guest bedroom suites are provided.
swimming pool that terminates with an infinity edge so that water meets the horizon. The first floor offers a very large open plan space that encompasses a dining area, kitchen, stair hall and living spaces all sheltering beneath a timber lined hovering wing-like roof. At the eastern end, beyond a slab-like rendered chimney, a master bedroom suite combines bed space with walk through dressing, bathroom area and sauna. A continuous cantilevered balcony is accessed from all spaces. The roof, in black zinc, acts as a giant solar collector via oil filled heating pipes set beneath the metal to provide all hot water demands for the house. A deep bored ground source heat pump system and a back-up LPG boiler provides heating.
The single storey part wraps the westernmost end and provides a gym space at ground floor and steps lead up to a roof terrace that in turn overlooks a long
PROJECT DETAILS Client: Status: Contract value:
Confidential Completion 2012 £1,400,000.00
Structural Engineer: M+ E Engineer: Landscape Consultant:
Barton Engineers Isoenergy UBU Design