The Brief

 

Conservation Area Renovation Project within the New Forest National Park, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

 

Reviving a dilapidated annex of a large 1930’s house meant navigating severe planning application constraints. A self-contained dwelling, the owner wanted to create an accessible, step-free area that would comfortably see her into her latter years.

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The Challenge

 

The annex, which comprised of 1200 sq. ft of original space had been poorly extended and remodelled in the 1960’s, now required a complete overhaul. Many would have just demolished it to start again - the easier but less environmentally-friendly route. Instead, RVI carefully extricated the 1960’s muddle and retained as much existing structure as feasible to satisfy the brief. This required precise design solutions to marry original character and new construction.

 

The Design Solution

 

Retaining as much of the original character, RVI sensitively re-modelled the existing ground floor space and creating a flow into a new single story extension. The result is a high performance, energy efficient, accessible and elegant dwelling. With acute attention to detail, down to the flush door thresholds, high thermal performance and step free access into the garden, RVI overcame planning constraints and complicated site access to create light and airy living quarters with stunning views onto the garden and the sea beyond.