The site is located near Brabourne adjacent to the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Planning was granted for a much larger house, 3 times the size of the existing bungalow.

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The design is a contemporary approach to a traditional vernacular agricultural form.

The building incorporates two long barn type structures, one for living, and one for sleeping.  The bedroom wing is set into the slope of the hill in contrast to the living wing, which floats slightly above the surrounding landscape.  The two wings are connected via a top lit corridor with the main entrance at one end and staircase linking the levels at the other.  The children’s rooms are built into the shape of the pitched roof and open into a central play area that flows down the stairs into the main living room.  The kitchen, dining and living spaces enjoy sweeping views across the farmland to the south and share a decked terrace allowing the internal spaces to connect to the outside.

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Large areas of glazing both to the walls and roof keep the internal spaces light and airy with cross ventilation.

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The timber structural frame was prefabricated off site, and clad almost entirely in cedar shingles.  A Corten steel projection highlights the main entrance.  The low carbon construction combined with passive solar design, thick layers of insulation, air source heat pump and PV panels ensure the build is highly sustainable.

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* whilst at JDA