Wychwood Lodge | Sedlescombe Park

The  project developed  through the applicant’s long term quest to secure planning permission for a residential property within the wooded site of Wychwood Lodge in the urban area in Rugby.

HB Architects invested substantial time and effort in to the initial concept of the design to prove to the Council and their Tree Officer that contemporary solutions could unlock the development potential of the site.

This house has been designed to hover above the ground on a grid of 9 piles set to avoid the root system of the surrounding woodland with its historic tree preservation orders.

A steel frame solution with green roof prevents damage from falling branches and allows the leaves to simply compost away.

The large overhang to the South side glazing protects the glass from sap from the trees and the simple black corrugated cladding of the North façade creates a counterpoint to the fully glazed South elevations and fully open plan internal footprint.

The project was built on a shoestring budget and the square plan form maximises the floor space and volume of the structure with the minimum envelope ratio.

The owners state that ‘they are so thrilled with the house that they will never let it go out of the family’.

 HB Architects are proud to have overcome the stringent planning barricade and create a family heirloom.

RIBA Work Stages 0-5 | £300k