Downley House
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Nick Kane (website) Download Original
Country house built in a hidden valley in the middle of the South Downs National Park
The house is divided into two wings linked by a barrel vaulted dining hall that takes it form from a foudre wine barrel. The vault, which is centred on the entrance in a ruined wall on the site, opens at each end onto courtyards which receive sun in the morning and evening.
The guest wing, at the back of the house, the back of the house has two guest bedrooms and the kitchen. The family wing contains three en-suit
edrooms, two living rooms and a playroom.
The wings are constructed of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and the barrel vault is made of a CLT timber shell and glue lam ribs. This low-embodied energy of the construction and the efficient envelope combined with a ground source heat pump and heat recovery system aims to create an energy efficient building.
Data
- Begun: Aug 2010
- Completed: Apr 2012
- Floor area: 650m2
- Sector: House
- Total cost: £2.5M
- Address: Downley House, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Birds Portchmouth Russum Architects
- Client: Tom Lloyd
- Structural engineer: Techniker
- M&E consultant: Mott McDonals Fulcrum
- Quantity surveyor: Project Technique
- Main contractor: Christopher Taee
- Lighting design: John Cullen Lighting
- Approved building inspector : East Hampshire County Council