Low Energy House
- (roman handmade brick)
- (douglas fir)
- (concrete)
Allerton Road is a new build, low energy house nestled within the leafy suburbs. The project places emphasis on creating a calm and crafted home which has a strong connection to nature. The design has been developed alongside an energy consultant to provide a low energy design and to meet future energy standards. The project is due to start on site in Autumn 2022.
The form plays on the traditional typology of a residential pitched house, but made contemporary with a dual pitch roof, a monolithic brick facade, oversized asymmetric windows and deep window reveals. In close partnership with the brick manufacturer, we have designed a bespoke brick to keep the roof junction crisp and minimal.
The concept for the project was developed from the notion of what makes a house a home. Internally, each room has a designed moment that is pivotal to the use of the room. In the hallway, a crafted bench provides a space to sit, while a roof light floods the double height space with natural light. Other moments include a bespoke silver travertine island, a douglas fir headboard and an oversized natural stone sink.
The material palette references the vernacular material of brick, but a roman brick, a long thin brick, was used so it appears subtly different. The brick colour, a warm grey, is complimented internally by beige concrete floors, claywork walls and douglas fir ceiling joists and joinery.
Externally, planting beds abut the house to embed it into its surroundings. A large timber sliding door, spread the full width of the building, creates a seamless connection between the outside and inside, bringing the landscaping into the home.
The design has been developed alongside an energy consultant to provide a low energy design and to meet future energy standards. An air source heat provides fossil fuel free hot water and space heating. A fabric first strategy has been adopted with enhanced insulation to achieve a highly efficient thermal envelope. The outcome is an exemplar, sustainable new build, meeting anticipated future standards today.