Project overview
Kent
A pioneer of the Paragraph 84 approach to new build houses in the countryside, our design for the owner of Iden Croft herb nursery in Staplehurst, Kent was one of the first contemporary houses to be granted planning permission under the original precursor ‘PPG7’ which allowed permission for one off houses which were ‘truly outstanding in terms of its architecture and landscape design, and would significantly enhance its immediate setting and wider surroundings.’
The house is elevated on pilotis, raising the principal floor to the level of the existing reservoir, minimising impact on the ground and allowing the series of enclosed landscape gardens to continue around and beneath the new building.
The precise, crystalline pavilion echoes classic modernist European and American pavilions, bringing an elegant contrast to the managed landscapes of the nursery, such that each enhances and enriches the other. The generous living accommodation is surrounded by sheltered terraces overlooking the gardens and incorporates a wide range of ecological features proving that a low energy building does not have to conform to the stereotype.
