The house is on a brownfield site in the centre of Alresford. It had previously been occupied by a derelict storage building and car park which served the adjacent house where the client had previously lived.
The site looks towards the rear approach to shops facing onto West Street and is surrounded on two sides by a residential development. One of the main design considerations is the impact the proposals had on its’ nearest neighbours as the ground level of the site is 1.5m higher than those adjacent so avoidance of overlooking was of paramount importance. This restricted the building height and areas of the site that could be used for development.
To minimise the impact on the neighbours the building is part single and part two storey and the bulk of the building is kept as far away from the neighbours as the site permits. The eaves level is also kept low.
The main entrance is located in an enclosed porch with small workshop opposite which leads down to the existing garage. The entrance leads to an open plan dining and kitchen area with separate office and utility / ancillary area. The dining room opens into the living area which has a vaulted roof above to maximise the volume whilst reducing impact upon the adjacent neighbours. It includes large sliding doors leading into the enclosed garden.
The first floor includes a master bedroom suite a second bedroom / office.
The materials echo the local character with red brick, render and slate, but the approach is a mix of traditional and modern characterised by the aluminium projecting bay window to the first floor and brick specials used in the eaves detailing.
The building is highly insulated throughout with triple glazed windows and underfloor heating to both floors and has a mechanical ventilation and hear recovery system to maintain a constant temperature. The building utilises photovoltaic panels and incorporates a gas saver and waste water heat recovery system.