Brook House

A beautiful rural site sited about 1 km west of the centre of Shackleford. It lies within the Metropolitan Green Belt, the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty (‘AONB’) and within the Area of Great Landscape Value (‘AGLV’). The residential curtilage sits off the road, bounded by a brook with views onto open fields to the west, while to the rear it faces a lake and woodland that extends to some 4.5 Ha.

We replace the existing 2-storey brick house with a discrete single-storey house that is planned with three ‘pavilions’ set around a courtyard – the first pavilion faces the road and contains utility, guest and a small pool/gym ­– the second turns to align with the brook and contains bedroom suites – the third closes the courtyard and provides the living spaces with views out across the lake into woodland. The two end pavilions have pitched roofs, while the central wing has a flat, sedum covered roof.

The house has a modesty, yet once entered becomes a journey along a glazed aisle through nature to culminate on a terrace with views across a lake.

The courtyard space gives protection from the wild beyond. This inner sanctum has its own microclimate and will be used for growing edible plants. The contrast between order and chaos is explored in the landscape with natural planting and non-uniform design outside, contrasting with a more geometric style within the envelope of the building.

The house is to be built in a bespoke timber-frame structure. Walls are built in a local Bargate stone; roofs are covered in cedar shingles.

The rear pitch of the first pavilion supports photovoltaic array to the southern aspect providing power to a ground source heat pump for the primary heating, while a wood burning stove is also provided within the main living space.