Ashlea is a new build house replacing an existing house located on the edge of the village.  Whilst our normal route would be to upgrade and improve, the opportunities and benefits to replace the poorly designed existing property and fully meet the clients brief outweighed the other considerations.

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The simple elongated form with pitched slate roof hides a high degree of angular complexity which is born out of maximising the extents of the irregularly shaped site, its extensive views and Southerly aspect. The result is a more modest form of expression to the roadside and a more angular and complex appearance to the rear.

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A rustic multi tone brick was chosen as an alternative to stone walling and used throughout with natural slate roofing to sloping roofs with flat or low sloping section finished in zinc and single ply membrane.

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The design captures the client’s brief requiring a modern open plan living area taking full advantage of the plot’s Southerly aspect and extensive distant views whilst relating to the lower garden level to the rear and higher roadside entrance level. A bedroom, bathroom and utility are additionally located at the ground floor level with three further bedrooms at first floor level with one doubling up as a snug. A garage is reached from the main entrance under a covered walkway.

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Whilst renewables such as solar panels have been omitted, the dwelling benefits from the installation of a highly insulated thermal envelope, air source heat pump and mechanical heat recover system to go far beyond the current building regulations, giving the clients a comfortable house with lowered running costs.