Ashwell
House in Ashwell
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The site is within Ashwell Conservation Area and was part of the extensive grounds of an existing house owned by the client. In their retirement, they now occupy the new more energy efficient house. The starting point for the design of the house was the concept of a highly sustainable smaller sister to the existing house on the site. It was positioned in order to minimise the effect of the house within the landscape with the objective of achieving a functional southerly facing garden. The new house is two-storeys high, but with significant single storey elements, and is constructed of painted render walls under hipped slate roofs with lead-roll ridge and hip flashings. The windows are double-hung sash white painted timber with Georgian bars. To one side is a single storey wing which accommodates a kitchen, dining and family area, as well as a pantry and utility room. This is linked to a front wing with a central archway that accommodates two garages. This allows cars to be parked discreetly away from the frontage of the house and out of sight. To the south-east of the house there is a detached single storey garden store building to accommodate the equipment needed to maintain the gardens, a further garage and a plant room to accommodate the heating plant needed to serve the house. Heating is provided by a Ground Source Heat Pump via a wet underfloor heating system incorporated within the floor screed to the ground and upper floors to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. The house was designed with high levels of insulation to reduce energy usage and with heavyweight construction to moderate peak temperatures during the summer, by using the structure as a heat sink.
