Parkwood Avenue  Wivenhoe

Our clients bought their first home in the riverside town of Wivenhoe. The 1950’s bungalow occupies a generous corner plot, the budget was limited.

 

We decided to leave the bungalow much as it was, partly to conserve funds and allocate as much as possible into the new building. The bungalow was one in a long-line street scape, although not of significant architectural merit, had a charm and retro character that our client was rightly keen to preserve.

 

We appreciated that the local planning authority were not the most compliant when it came to contemporary development, even though we were outside of the protected Wivenhoe conservation area.

 

The solution was to propose a new building sitting alongside the existing and connected to it without much disturbance. We proposed very little work to the original bungalow, a modest re-working of the existing kitchen so that the new building can become the main living space and dining area and limited timber clading to the south wall. The exception will be the new heat pump that will supply both existing and new building. A second phase will be to install PV solar panels on the south facing roof.

 

Light, Space, Heat, Views. ( see our journal pages) are key aspects of our design approach. As the new building is located on the south side of the existing bungalow, we have not placed windows in the south elevation, which will be heavily insulated against the south sun. The proposed gable ends are glazed to gain natural light from the east and west, morning and evening.

 

To increase daylight further we have a strip of north facing high level windows (northlight clerestory vented windows) at the highest part of the mono-pitch roof. Cross-flow ventilation, combined with high levels of roof and wall insulation, and controlled solar gain through orientation, will make a comfortable and efficient living space. The views out to the east and west are to the garden spaces, green healthy aspects for well-being.

 

We particularly like the way the daylight strategy and orientation of the new building have resulted in a simple modernist form that echoes the period of the original bungalow yet will be a distinctive and sustainable addition to the suburban street scape………………………..

 

Alas, the powers that be thought otherwise and we were refused planning permission. Convinced of our approach and design outcome we appealed against the decision and after many months were pleased to have the refusal unequivocally overturned by the planning inspectorate.

 

And so ………We maintain our record of having a 100% success rate in achieving planning approvals for our clients. But the real value is that we will be able to build the new project, and it will provide a comfortable and healthy home for a young family to grow up with and enjoy, and that means a lot to us.

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