Hertfordshire

Background

This new build 600m2 five-bedroom house in Hertfordshire is designed on a steeply sloped suburban site. This unequivocally contemporary house replaces a dilapidated bungalow and is three stories at the front, reducing to two at the rear due to the sharp incline upwards to the rear garden.

A series of varied cubic volumes are used on the front façade ensure that the house can sit comfortably adjacent to traditional neighbouring properties.

The Brief

The clients approached Gregory Phillips Architects to design a house that could offer a contemporary solution to work on the steeply sloped site and contrast to the traditional neighbouring architecture.

The clients wanted a house with generous living spaces, five bedroom suites, gym, cinema and separate utility room.

What we did

Designing for a steeply sloped site, we designed a house that is entered via a double height lower ground floor entrance hall – immediately encouraging users up a staircase to the main living accommodation.

Connection to the rear garden was important, and the raised ground floor was designed to open-up fully to a level terrace in the garden.

Designing the front of the building to complement the traditional neighbouring properties required a thoughtful reimaging of the typical detached suburban home.

Two ‘wings’ of the house are separated by a central recess using pattern brickwork to visually break up the mass of the house. Garaging and the lower ground floor are set back and allow the volume to appear as though it is two storeys.

Outcomes

A contemporary new house that appears modest in size due to clever arrangement and resolution of the street facing front façade. The house compliments the surrounding properties and becomes a high-quality addition to the street.