Close
Case Study

Woodlands

:Pin this story
Case Study

Woodlands

One of our newest listings, Woodlands, gives its potential buyer an opportunity to witness their home being built from the ground up. The attractive plot in leafy Surrey was procured by award-winning architecture and design studio Proctor & Shaw, who were granted planning permission to build a stunning, timber-clad, three-bedroom home on the site.

We catch up with John Proctor to talk about his inspiration for the project, and what challenges were faced in the development process. He shares how the site itself influenced the outcome of the home’s design, and how Proctor & Shaw made an asset of the adjacent protected oak tree.

 

Black timber cladding was chosen for the final design, which takes its cue from the surrounding woodlands.
What were your main objectives when designing Woodlands?

Our original intentions were to design an amazing family home for ourselves. I think the site is really interesting and offers up many opportunities for design.

 

How did you discover the site in Walton-on-Thames, and what makes it a good plot for development?

On my return from working abroad I spent a lot of time searching for developable sites for a possible family home. With my time split between establishing an architectural practice and having a young family the site searching needed to be fast-tracked, so I therefore looked at property auctions and searched for land plots that had no previous successful planning history. Over the course of about a year and a half we were successful in purchasing two plots that met our criteria, Woodlands being one, but there were not a lot!

 

The main living spaces occupy the home's middle floor, to make the most of elevated views and bringing the home's hub closer to the roof terrace.
The roof terrace exploits the site's spectacular high-level views, and John loved the idea of a secluded terrace amongst the tree tops.
The protected oak tree on the site is magnificent, but did it throw up any challenges when planning the build?

Yes it did. However this is the second plot which we have developed through planning with adjacency to a tree with a tree protection order (TPO), so I know the process involved. Its easy to treat the tree as a nuisance, but actually it led to design innovation. The planning conundrum was to show that the site could offer a light-filled home with wonderful amenity space, despite the shadowing potential of the tree. The main living spaces therefore moved to the middle floor, enjoying elevated views out and, crucially, bringing the hub of the house close to the generous south-westerly facing roof terrace.

 

Can you share with us some of the limitations you have had to work within with such a constrained site, and how they were overcome?

The main constraint on the size of development was the tree. The tree root preservation area (RPA) and tree pruning strategy were material considerations for planning. Therefore, proximity to the tree was carefully negotiated – we adapted the size of the proposal following our pre-application submission. Other issues were fairly straight-forward, but parking and a set back from the southern boundary (due to adjacencies to Network Rail) were other factors that defined the footprint of the house. However, the conclusion was a sensible development-to-plot-size ratio, with ample amenity space, which the planners were happy to support.

 

Battersea House provides a another example of Proctor & Shaw's work. This post-war end of terrace house has been completely refurbished and extended.
Tell us about the materials used in the design and why you chose them?

We initially looked at two options: black timber cladding, and a colourful tiled scheme. Both options took their cues from the woodland nature of the site. The tiles were intended to be multi-coloured, like autumnal leaves. The dark cladding will set off the colour of the surrounding trees quite spectacularly at certain times of the years. The planners also stated a preference for the dark cladding. We then developed the details of the cladding to reflect the level changes and play of scale on the elevations.

 

What aspect of the proposed build are you most proud of?

I think the resolution of the roof terrace and adjacent stair is really nice. The glazed connection to the stairwell from the roof terrace is key, the stairwell will act as a light scoop bringing light down to the middle of the main living area plan.

 

Why did you choose to incorporate two outdoor spaces into the design (the ground-floor garden and the rooftop terrace)?

This is in part a reaction to the planning constraints of the tree but also it’s about exploiting the high-level views from the site, which are spectacular. I loved the idea of a secluded terrace amongst the tree tops.

 

Quarter Glass House, also by Proctor & Shaw, with its four distinct ‘quarter glass’ windows which are shaped in response to the geometry of the new extension.
Quarter Glass House's design allowed the interior space to engage positively with the garden.
Did you draw on inspiration from any other buildings or places for Woodlands?

Lots of projects spring to mind. On my first visit I was very excited about the dense woodland setting and Richard Meier’s Douglas House came to mind. It’s built in a dense pine forest in Michigan, and has wonderful spaces that enjoy serene treetop views. As with Meier’s house, Woodlands also benefits from a sloping site adjacencies and corresponding elevated views.

 

Woodlands follows Passivhaus methodology. Can you tell us a little more about the benefits of a Passivhaus building?

Passivhaus is both a robust energy performance specification and a holistic low-energy design concept. In many ways the site dictates a sustainable Passivhaus approach; highly insulated walls and well sealed, high quality glazed units are fantastic for acoustic isolation (important here with the proximity to the railway line). A MHVR ventilation system works in tandem with improved insulation and is a really pleasant way to heat a space. So, the benefits are obvious; a warm, cosy, quiet building to live in, with the added bonus of small heating bills!

 

Who would this home be best suited to?

I think this home would be best suited to a young family. There is an excellent school nearby. When commuting starts up again, the proximity to the railway is second to none, whilst the flexible room design offers space to work from home. The location also enjoys nearby river amenities, and all that Surrey has to offer is a short drive away.

 

Another of Proctor & Shaw's projects: Pod House - a part-two storey rear extension which was Shortlisted for the AJ Retrofit Awards.
Share this story
Previous Story.
Lifestyle. Five well-designed holiday homes in the UK
Previous Story.
Next Story.
The Agency. House of Grey: on salutogenic design
Next Story.