Hughes House

The site is located within the village of Shalford. Located just south of Guildford, Shalford is a village within the civil parish of Surrey. First appearing within the Domesday book of 1086, the village has a rich heritage and became known for its “Great Fair”, attracting merchants from all over the country.

Situated on the north side of the close, the existing house sits on a east west axis. With the site orientation in mind, using the natural light creatively and blurring the external with the internal spaces became a prominent feature.

The client’s aim is to create a comfortable family home with contemporary features whilst allowing the building to subtly synthesise with its surroundings. As privacy is important within a family home, the design will create a balanced relationship between large open living areas and private spaces. The proposal, although contemporary in form, will stand harmoniously with the setting and respect the local village’s historic character.

The material selection for the project has taken inspiration from the surrounding natural environment and geology. This has been taken and used with a contemporary arrangement to give the building a physical bond to its area. The use of timber cladding creates a natural link to the site which we plan to imitate in a modern form. It sits delicately along the plot, whilst the simple use of a grey standing seam zinc ‘wrap’ allows the project to blend in whilst enhancing its architectural merit. Furthermore, high quality glass is proposed to sit alongside the other materials and complement the building, whilst allowing natural light to illuminate the internal spaces.
The inclusion of a sedum roof means that the existing views from the first floor are not hindered by a dull roof finish, whilst the sedum provides a seamless continuation of the garden and surrounding aesthetic.
This simplistic palette of materials gives a unique, elegant and defined building.