Withycombe

A radical refurbishment and house extension

Withycombe

A radical refurbishment and house extension

Project Information

Location

: South Stoke

Client

: Private

Status

: Completed 2020

Key Materials

: Ashlar stone, Rubble stone, Mineral render system, Timber cladding, Aluminium cladding panels, Green roof

Photographers

: Mark Bolton Photography, fotohaus
More info
Located in an enviable position within the Green belt close to Bath, Withycombe sits on the side of a steeply sloping valley with panoramic views to the south. The original house was constructed in the 1930’s and extended in the 1960’s. Our client wished to modernise and extend the house which had been empty for 10 years. Working within a restrictive planning context, we developed a proposal for a replacement house, which was in effect a radical comprehensive refurbishment. This approach gained planning approval and our involvement through the detailed design and construction phases has continued, with the house due for completion later in 2019. The house features large areas of glazing and extensive terrace and balcony areas to make the most of the open prospect.

We are delighted with the way Designscape, and in particular Spencer, guided us in the creation of our new home. We presented him with a challenge to upgrade an existing, but disused, 1930s house, making the best use of the wonderful view to the south, but a difficult plot. He took the original brief, but was not constrained by it - coming up with a much better solution than we had imagined possible. We have been able to maintain some of the existing structure within the shell of what looks like a new building - hence minimising wastage and the carbon footprint. The result is a thoroughly modern design, with just a hint of the past - one exposed wall of the old house. Whilst Spencer led the design, it was very much a collaborative process and we felt heard at all stages and in all of the key decisions. We love our new family home and get so many positive comments from friends as well as from passers-by.

Mark and Kate Raiss

Scrapbook

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Located in an enviable position within the Green belt close to Bath, Withycombe sits on the side of a steeply sloping valley with panoramic views to the south. The original house was constructed in the 1930’s and extended in the 1960’s. Our client wished to modernise and extend the house which had been empty for 10 years. Working within a restrictive planning context, we developed a proposal for a replacement house, which was in effect a radical comprehensive refurbishment. This approach gained planning approval and our involvement through the detailed design and construction phases has continued, with the house due for completion later in 2019. The house features large areas of glazing and extensive terrace and balcony areas to make the most of the open prospect.