new house, wharfedale
We have been commissioned to design a one-off house in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire. The intention is to replace an existing stable block with a compact detached dwelling, making the most of the topography, orientation and spectacular views afforded by the site which is located on green belt land. Our strategy is to create a discreet and partially buried development within the steeply sloping site that minimises the visual impact of the new dwelling and reduces its visual impact over the existing building arrangement. We will use orientation, form and building mass to make a low energy, low impact sustainable dwelling.
Creating an open plan living and eating area with easy access to the outdoors is important to the client. We have designed a sunken living area with visual connections to the wider landscape which opens onto a west facing terrace, leading down to an enhanced wetland habitat area with naturalised planting. Careful tree planting will screen the building from the roadside level above. The corner fire place, the focus of home and hearth, is expressed as a stone chimney at this upper entrance level, subtly announcing the presence of the main volume of the building a storey below contained beneath a substantial turf roof.