coastal retrofit
Transformation of a 1920's bungalow in Dorset's AONB and Protected Coastline using natural materials and renewable technology.
Sited on the side of a hill overlooking Golden Cap and National Trust land, this old bungalow plot obviously had potential! The client came to us for an ecological focussed, deep retrofit to improve living comfort and energy use, and to reimagine how the house flowed and connected to the land.
We explored the idea of knock down rebuild but it didn't sit well with the client and didn't stack up for as a low carbon development - there was just not enough change to justify wasting the existing fabric. Instread we made some key internal reconfiguration moves - changing the circulation and opening up the main kitchen-living space - then wrapped the house in wood-fibre insulation and overclad it with locally sawn timber. The works included converting the loft space into a master bedroom suite with amazing views to the sea, and a basement enlargement to create a bootroom, cold store and pottery studio.
As will all deep retrofits, the house was almost completely rebuilt - floors were taken up and insulated, ceilings were renewed to improve acoustics, bathrooms modernised and most walls re-plastered. This allowed us to reimagine the internal materials and create a natural feel to the property incorporating a lot of local materials and recycled elements. It also facilitated a real focus on airtightness and the introduction of MVHR to sit alongside the new ASHP and underfloor heating system. A battery and solar panels (as well as a secondary spring-water supply) provide additional benefit to the new low-energy home.
Externally a large veranda deck provides easy and level access (ramped around the building) and direct access to glorious outside spaces as well as solar shading for the enlarged windows. A natural swimming pond brings a new wildlife-friendly focus to the garden.
The project also included permission to convert a large barn into ancillary accommodation - this is being completed separately as phase two and enveadours to be even more ecological in its construction.
