The Brief

As well as an aesthetic facelift for this house, one of the main drivers for this house alteration, was to improve its energy performance.

Our Approach

This project was essentially a self-build. As architects we carried out a lot of research into bringing together a variety of technologies and building techniques. We realised early on that external wall insulation (EWI) would be a good way to improve the thermal performance of the house without reducing internal floor areas. After consulting with various third parties, the technology was adapted to work with the clients’ wish to create a building of good quality appearance in sympathy with the context around it.

The combination of traditional masonry and cutting edge refurbishment techniques necessitated new details to resolve junctions, interfaces, alignments, cavities and openings. At the same time, every effort was made to keep to a simple palette for aesthetic, budget and buildability reasons.

The Result

A house for life, designed and built to be robust, with simple but durable finishes. Our client is extremely happy with the final results and people passing have been slowing down to look and even knocking on their door to compliment them!