Hayward Smart Architects has specified Conservation Plateau and neo rooflights from the Rooflight Company for a striking new-build house in the Cotswolds.
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Hayward Smart Architects has completed The Long House on the outskirts of Sibford Ferris, a small rural village in north Oxfordshire. This impressive new build, on an idyllic wooded plot, takes inspiration from the nearby countryside and local rural buildings, while also creating a modern and high-specification ‘forever home’ for its owners to retire and entertain in.
As is usually the case with any new building work carried out in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the planners were stringent with permissions. They granted consent with 19 conditions and on the basis that it be built with architectural merit, not suburban in nature and critically, it must reflect the vernacular of the surrounding buildings.
From the outset, the architect identified fenestration as a key design element of the build. A simple L-shaped plan with a sunken aspect realises the clients’ desire for an open-plan living space to entertain friends and family. The dense woodland to the east and the orientation of the house meant that rooflights would be essential in the design to maximise natural light where possible. In addition, the architect needed to consider thermal performance and ventilation to maximise the benefits of a light and airy interior with optimum levels of heating.
The design incorporates a combination of the Conservation Plateau and the neo rooflights from the Rooflight Company, which satisfied the need for both flooding the house with natural light and peak heat retention. The open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting room spaces at first-floor level, feature a double-height vaulted ceiling with remote-controlled rooflights maximising the amount of natural light.
The Conservation Plateau Rooflight, a flat roof solution, fitted seamlessly into The Long House’s contemporary but traditionally sympathetic design. The architect’s choice of neo rooflights meant that the clients’ brief for light and modern entertaining areas, was successfully achieved. The premium and optimum design of the neo is a perfect balance of form and function. The rooflight echoes the look and feel of a piece of glass and its clean lines emphasise the modern aspect of the plans.
In contemporary designs, which require a sympathetic nod to the traditional, the Rooflight Company is the ideal choice for architects. Both beautiful and practical, the Rooflight Company’s designs were perfect in terms of aesthetics and execution, having whole window U-values of 1.4Wm²K, and meeting all applicable Building Regulations requirements.
The Long House designs met the requirements of the planning authorities, with no compromises needed. The end result is a home the clients wanted, with large, light, open spaces for entertaining family and friends, and a comfortable, modern home to retire in.
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Source: Architecture Today