Southern Wood

The existing site features a dilapidated bungalow that had been unsympathetically altered over many years, resulting in a building no longer suited to its setting or the needs of contemporary living. The brief called to replace it with a modern, low-energy home that could provide generous spaces for entertaining while remaining practical for rural living. Central to the clients’ aspirations was the creation of a contemporary barn-inspired form - an architectural language that could feel both expressive and rooted in its woodland context - establishing a new home that is efficient, welcoming, and closely connected to its surroundings.

The design approach was shaped by the presence of a prominent protected tree, requiring the new home to work carefully within the parameters of the existing footprint. To respect this constraint, the building height is reduced closest to the tree, naturally forming a single-storey element that incorporates a roof terrace and maintains a sensitive relationship with the surrounding landscape. The roof ridge is offset so the structure rises toward the rear, where it is screened by mature vegetation, while the front presents a lower eaves line and a linear contemporary dormer to minimise perceived massing and soften the home’s visual impact within its woodland setting.

Planning approval was secured without the need for amendments, reflecting a proposal that responded clearly and sensitively to both site constraints and planning context. Permission for the accompanying outbuilding has also enabled the project to be carefully phased, allowing the clients to remain living on-site throughout the construction process and supporting a more manageable, long-term delivery of their new home.

The technical strategy focused on delivering efficiency, performance, and build certainty through the use of Modern Methods of Construction. The clients selected an insulated concrete formwork system, chosen for its speed of assembly as well as the thermal mass of the concrete, which will help the home maintain a stable internal temperature throughout the year. For the accompanying outbuilding, an insulated composite roof panel system was specified to minimise on-site installation time. These panels span continuously from eaves to ridge without horizontal joints, reducing the need for secondary structural elements such as purlins and roof joists, with a single intermediate wall providing necessary mid-span support.

The project’s rural setting, with its established natural habitats, presented important ecological challenges, particularly in relation to protected species. Dusk and dawn surveys confirmed the presence of bats within the existing roof structure, requiring careful coordination and consultation with Natural England to agree a responsible approach to its removal. The roof was therefore stripped by hand with an ecologist present on site, ensuring full compliance with ecological guidance. A series of mitigation measures were also embedded within the design, including the provision of bat boxes and a range of bird habitats, supporting biodiversity and reinforcing the project’s sensitive relationship with its woodland environment.