Houzz Tour: Modern and Connected to the Land
A strong link with its surroundings was the priority for this house built on a former pig farm in Suffolk, England
Andrea Von
November 30, 2015
Formerly editor at thegreenhubonline.com and Houzz UK Editorial Staff. I'm passionate about sustainability, innovative architecture and clever design.
Formerly editor at thegreenhubonline.com and Houzz UK Editorial Staff. I'm passionate... More
When the owner of this airy, one-story new build in Southwold, England, first approached Charles Barclay Architects about building a house on the site of an old barn, she was clear she didn’t want one that was “just a house in a garden in a field.” She wanted it to be much more directly connected to the land around it. And with the natural pond, beautiful trees and abundance of wildlife just outside, it’s easy to see why. “We tried to create a sense of being in this very specific site and the feeling of being completely immersed in it,” says Charles Barclay, lead designer on the project. “When you’re inside the house, you’re almost camping on the land itself, rather than being tucked away in a dark cottage.”
Photos by Paul Craig Photography
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: The homeowner and her large extended family, who visit frequently
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, England
Size: 2,250 square feet (200 square meters) on 18½ acres (7.5 hectares); four bedrooms, five bathrooms
Architect: Charles Barclay
That’s interesting: There were long-eared bats living in the original barn, so an outbuilding (the “bat house”) had to be built a year in advance of work on the main house to give them a suitable new habitat.
On the southern side the house is a horizontal ribbon of large windows to make the most of the views and orientation. The ceilings in the living room and master bedroom slope upward toward the windows to take in the landscape and sky for that sense of being in the countryside.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: The homeowner and her large extended family, who visit frequently
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, England
Size: 2,250 square feet (200 square meters) on 18½ acres (7.5 hectares); four bedrooms, five bathrooms
Architect: Charles Barclay
That’s interesting: There were long-eared bats living in the original barn, so an outbuilding (the “bat house”) had to be built a year in advance of work on the main house to give them a suitable new habitat.
On the southern side the house is a horizontal ribbon of large windows to make the most of the views and orientation. The ceilings in the living room and master bedroom slope upward toward the windows to take in the landscape and sky for that sense of being in the countryside.
The floor is polished and ground concrete. “After the concrete is polished, the top layer is ground off so you can see the aggregate, which is highlighted by the downlights,” Barclay says. “We’ve used it the whole way through the house, and it runs out onto the terrace as well. It references the shingle beaches a mile or two away.” There are also uplights where the ceiling is at its highest.
Wall paint: white, Dulux; windows: W40 galvanized steel, West Leigh; sliding door: Fineline Aluminium
Wall paint: white, Dulux; windows: W40 galvanized steel, West Leigh; sliding door: Fineline Aluminium
There are two wood-burning stoves in the house. The owner brought this one from her previous house. “It’s French and was designed to be built into a false chimney breast. It produces a lot of heat, so it can deal with a bigger space,” Barclay says.
“The owner likes the industrial look, so rather than having it concealed, she wanted it all on view, but she didn’t want kilns or other paraphernalia. The idea was to enjoy the house in the setting it’s in, and not focus on its furniture or fixtures.”
The fireplace sits on a concrete plinth, which acts as a heat sink: The concrete absorbs the heat when the fireplace is on, and keeps the warmth going after the fire has gone out.
Fireplace: Brisach; all furniture: homeowner’s own
“The owner likes the industrial look, so rather than having it concealed, she wanted it all on view, but she didn’t want kilns or other paraphernalia. The idea was to enjoy the house in the setting it’s in, and not focus on its furniture or fixtures.”
The fireplace sits on a concrete plinth, which acts as a heat sink: The concrete absorbs the heat when the fireplace is on, and keeps the warmth going after the fire has gone out.
Fireplace: Brisach; all furniture: homeowner’s own
The living room has a covered terrace to provide somewhere sheltered to sit while looking across the fields outside. “There’s fantastic wildlife on this site,” Barclay says. “As well as the bats, there are ducks, geese and other birds. There’s also a barn owl you can sit and watch as he or she is hunting on the field. To the west of the house is some [Royal Society for the Protection of Birds] land with herds of deer on it.”
The house is made up of two L-shaped wings divided by four pocket doors. “The idea was to make the house comfortable for two without it feeling cavernous,” Barclay says. The doors are made of etched glass to allow light to flow through the spaces. The one to the left here leads to the guest wing. “When there’s a larger gathering of people, the doors provide some separation between the main part of the house and the guest wing,” the architect says.
The dining area has two views: one toward the pond, above right, and the other across the terrace to the far corner of the field, above left.
Dining table and chairs: homeowner’s own
The dining area has two views: one toward the pond, above right, and the other across the terrace to the far corner of the field, above left.
Dining table and chairs: homeowner’s own
The medium-density fiberboard kitchen cabinets were spray-lacquered by Paintworks, and the countertops are Corian. There’s also a pantry (not pictured).
Kitchen cabinets: Howdens; faucet: Starlight, Grohe; appliances: Siemens, Hyde Park Bathrooms & Kitchens
Kitchen cabinets: Howdens; faucet: Starlight, Grohe; appliances: Siemens, Hyde Park Bathrooms & Kitchens
“The owner wanted the kitchen, dining and main sitting areas to be open to one another, so that whoever’s cooking doesn’t feel shut away from the action. The kitchen is big enough for more than one person, so there can be several members of the family preparing a meal at once,” Barclay says.
Instead of traditional curtains, there are built-in drop-down roller blinds throughout the house. On the inside of this glazed section, there’s a sliding wood screen that closes off the doors.
“When there’s a cold east wind, the site is exposed with very little protection,” the architect says. “The screen increases insulation and reduces heat loss, especially at night. It makes the place feel more cozy.”
“When there’s a cold east wind, the site is exposed with very little protection,” the architect says. “The screen increases insulation and reduces heat loss, especially at night. It makes the place feel more cozy.”
On the deck on the other side of the dining area is a slide-out awning for shelter in summer.
The external walls are black stained soft pine. “They are superinsulated panels, which we used for insulation and structure,” Barclay says. “They are a sandwich of rigid insulation between wood particleboard on either side, so there are hardly any cold bridges. Essentially, the building is a well-insulated, airtight envelope.”
Hidden solar panels and a 13-foot-long sliding wood screen reduce heat loss and keep energy consumption low.
The external walls are black stained soft pine. “They are superinsulated panels, which we used for insulation and structure,” Barclay says. “They are a sandwich of rigid insulation between wood particleboard on either side, so there are hardly any cold bridges. Essentially, the building is a well-insulated, airtight envelope.”
Hidden solar panels and a 13-foot-long sliding wood screen reduce heat loss and keep energy consumption low.
The house sits on a red brick base, which is a reference to traditional Suffolk barns. There are 10 external doors. “Some are basically windows you can walk out of,” Barclay says.
“The steel-framed windows are modern versions of the Crittall windows of the 1930s,” he says. “We did this deliberately, because the owner used to stay at a [vacation] house where there were Crittall windows. She loved them and wanted them in her own house. We used a W40 glaze, so together with the insulation in the walls, there’s no problem with condensation.”
The slim frames mean there’s minimal interruption of the view.
“The steel-framed windows are modern versions of the Crittall windows of the 1930s,” he says. “We did this deliberately, because the owner used to stay at a [vacation] house where there were Crittall windows. She loved them and wanted them in her own house. We used a W40 glaze, so together with the insulation in the walls, there’s no problem with condensation.”
The slim frames mean there’s minimal interruption of the view.
This is the corridor to the guest wing. Two double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a children’s bunk room with a shower room are located off it. At the end of the corridor is a second sitting room, which doubles as a music room (more on this below).
The roof overhangs provide shade in summer so the rooms don’t overheat; they also allow in low sunlight during the winter to warm the house. “It’s all part of the eco strategy,” Barclay says.
The roof overhangs provide shade in summer so the rooms don’t overheat; they also allow in low sunlight during the winter to warm the house. “It’s all part of the eco strategy,” Barclay says.
The homeowner has a strong connection with the classical music world and often has musical friends visiting.
“Having a second sitting room also means that if there are any children staying, they have their own place to hang out without disturbing the adults,” Barclay says. “There’s a sliding door that opens onto the field, so they can rush out without causing a ruckus. It gives the guest wing a degree of autonomy, even though it’s connected to the main wing.”
Tolomeo floor lamp: Artemide; all other furniture: homeowner’s own
“Having a second sitting room also means that if there are any children staying, they have their own place to hang out without disturbing the adults,” Barclay says. “There’s a sliding door that opens onto the field, so they can rush out without causing a ruckus. It gives the guest wing a degree of autonomy, even though it’s connected to the main wing.”
Tolomeo floor lamp: Artemide; all other furniture: homeowner’s own
In addition to the two wood-burning stoves to warm the house, there’s also a ground-source heat pump that runs on electricity generated from solar panels on the roof. “The panels provide more power than the house needs, and the parapet walls on the roof mean you can’t see them from ground level,” Barclay says.
Stove: Cove, Charnwood
Stove: Cove, Charnwood
There are two skylights in the corridor leading to the master bedroom. “The owner was keen to have lots of natural light,” Barclay says, but she didn’t want to have too many windows, as these would puncture the walls and take away from the house’s barn-like aesthetic. The pocket door separating the master bedroom and the corridor is solid for privacy and to keep light out of the room at night.
The ceiling in the master bedroom slopes up to allow for more of a view of the landscape and sky. “There’s a special feeling to it. There’s a strong sense of horizon,” Barclay says. The other bedrooms are similarly plainly furnished but don’t have sloped ceilings.
Glo-Ball pendant light: Flos, John Lewis; cabinets: Howdens
Glo-Ball pendant light: Flos, John Lewis; cabinets: Howdens
The sliding glass door opens onto a little wooden deck. “You can sit in bed and look out to the pond on the left or straight out past the desk to the avenue of oak trees. It’s beautiful in winter when the leaves have fallen,” Barclay says.
The bathroom doors in the corridor leading to the master bedroom are made of etched glass to allow light from the two skylights to flood into the rooms.
“The house is slightly abstract. It has a real presence,” Barclay says. “It’s an enigma. When you first see it, you think it’s one thing, then you walk through it and realize it’s a whole different world.”
The plan shows how the home has been laid out in wings that “you’re not aware of when you approach it,” Barclay says.
The house as viewed from the street; the pond is out of frame to the left.
Separate from the main house is the “bat house,” which has space for a garage, a playroom and storage.
“We put bat nesting boxes and droppings in the outbuilding, but they had to be dragged kicking and screaming from the old barn into the new building. It was a huge effort,” Barclay says. “There must be a new habitat nearby that suits them, but they still come in the summer and hunt around the pond. What we’ve learnt is that you can follow the advice of experts, but nature won’t necessarily go for it!”
“We put bat nesting boxes and droppings in the outbuilding, but they had to be dragged kicking and screaming from the old barn into the new building. It was a huge effort,” Barclay says. “There must be a new habitat nearby that suits them, but they still come in the summer and hunt around the pond. What we’ve learnt is that you can follow the advice of experts, but nature won’t necessarily go for it!”
The house as viewed from the outbuilding.
The pond is original to the farm but was enlarged as part of the project. Rainwater is collected from the roof and then ducted to it. Rainwater is also used to water the trees that were planted during construction.
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Dear kew134,
thank you for your positive comments. You'll be glad to hear we don't foist polished concrete floors on to all our clients, only the one who actually want them!
You are very welcome to give me call in the office if you would like to continue the conversation about potential downsizing/move to the country. Our Suffolk client did exactly that, but keeps a pied-a-terre flat in the Barbican for regular visits to London.