private house 2003 esher • surrey

we pitched for and won our client’s valuable commission to create a substantial house in a private esher avenue that replaced an attrition-ally developed 1950′s single storey house. The design explores both the public and private attributes for a family house that reflects a revision of a local arts and crafts vernacular.  A solid and defensive street facing elevation presents the house to the public realm and disintegrates to an ‘east meets west’ heavily glazed private south garden elevation, relieved by the expressive use of oak framing and brise soleils that contains summer heat gain whilst allowing winter light to pervade the interior spaces.  We utilised a palette of natural materials including through-coloured proprietary lime render held by a&c styled zipper brick coins and a canted base to cloak a building that operated good sustainable energy conservation solutions. High insulation values couples the practices’ design philosophy for shallow plans and excellent cross ventilation to promote comfortable and imaginative space.  Our client valuably taught us to work with love on the buildings we create and we do!