A thoughtfully designed sustainable, bespoke self-built intergenerational dwelling set over 6 acres. Orientated around a central courtyard and colonnade with landscaping inspired by Piet Oudolf that gives a real sense of calm and peace, wellbeing when in and outside of the house.
Deep overhangs and the colonnade around the courtyard ensure no overheating during the summer months and cover when it rains. The design and plan also allow for formal and informal gardens. The changing seasons will allow the views and colours through the house to change as the trees shed and forgo their foliage.
There is an intimate connection to nature between landscaping and the house. Views through the house have been carefully designed to provide a connection to nature, daylight. The house is surrounded by a new wildflower meadow and over 250 native species trees together with a natural swimming pond which has already attracted newts, dragon flies.
We were appointed as architects by the clients and our brief was to design a beautiful self-build sustainable home on one level around a central courtyard as they are approaching retirement age. They wanted the house to connect with the landscape with large areas of glazing for natural light, covered outside dining/kitchen area, 3 bedrooms (all ensuite and 2 with walk in wardrobes), yoga/wellbeing room and separate office from the main dwelling.
The key component of ‘Three Oaks’ was to combine new technology with an element of craft. The house brings together a rich mixture of crafted elements and landscaping: the textural brick wall, zinc cladding and timber joinery, which are all made by hand, employing specialist trades people.
For us, architecture is storytelling, from the evolution of a first sketch into a finished building – the client is central to this process, and we develop the narrative together. Conceptually, the house is influenced by courtyard houses such as those in 4 of 11 Sustainability Japan, a cloister and central colonnade link the spaces in the house and defines the various landscaped gardens whilst offering a peaceful place to pause and enjoy the house and landscaping.
The house is in countryside just outside the settlement boundary of the village of Ifold. The site had been a small farm with a small bungalow and range of piggeries but had laid unused for over 20 years and was overgrown. A certificate of lawfulness was need before a planning application could be submitted. Site clearance began following grant of planning permission on 16 August 2021.
The house explores what a contemporary courtyard house would be like in a semi rural setting, one which explores the relationship of nature to building, ecology, sustainability and intergenerational living. The house uses various sustainable strategies to be as off grid as possible, whilst looking at nature, site and materiality too. The single storey nature provides challenges for layout, massing and also links between the various functions, which the house approached with the use of volumes with glass links. The strong public to private relationship also provides spaces for reflection and socialising. Wellbeing and health are also integral to the design with the use of a yoga space, home office and natural pool. The courtyard and colonnade create a calm space to enjoy the house.
The self build nature of the project encouraged a very close collaboration between the client and Architect throughout.
Three Oaks Farm was shortlisted for the RIBA South East Awards and won a Sussex Heritage Award for one off contemporary house.
Photo credit: Gareth Gardner
