Nicholson House

Suffolk

This new five bedroom family house is located on a secluded and sloping, south-facing site on the outskirts of a Suffolk village.

The form and language of the new house relate closely to that of the traditional Suffolk farmhouse, with a linear plan, rendered walls and a pitched roof. This simple model has been oriented east-west so that the long south elevation can gain maximum benefit from passive solar gain and all rooms can have a southerly aspect.

To minimise the possibility of overheating in summer, the largely glazed southern elevation is set back behind the eaves line to create a double-height colonnade incorporating balconies at first floor level. This protects the interior from the high summer sun but allows the much lower winter sun to penetrate deep into the building.

To maximise the interaction between inside and outside the glazed walls to all the main rooms slide back to give full access to the large garden and the balconies.

To minimise the physical impact of the new house on the landscape, advantage has been taken of the 4.5 metre fall on the south facing slope to create a ‘cut and fill’ house. This means that, although the house is two stories, it reads as a single storey house from the north.

Externally the super insulated masonry walls are finished in lime render, the roof is finished with reclaimed slates and the south facing colonnade is constructed from locally sourced green oak.