Cavendish Avenue
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David Butler (website) Download Original
Passive solar house constructed from pre-fabricated structural timber sheets
The whole house opens off the triple-height hall and stairwell that is top-lit (the opening and blinds are controlled automatically) with glass-sided walkways. The shingled bay, with a large window to the road, is a private timber-lined music room with pyramid roof, enclosed separately from the rest of the house.
The kitchen, dining room and living room open into one another and out through the glazed wall to the garden. The exposed timber structure extends to form the solar shading portico at the back, which is sail-rigged in summer.
The shingled timber volume works like the tiled front bays of the neighbouring properties. The front elevation is clad in a semi-reflective patterned glass rainscreen, while the rear elevation has large openings to the sun and the garden, with external sunscreening.
The hall includes a concrete core that acts as the cooling and heating core for the house. It also acts as the fire stair and has banisters, understair cupboards and niches for furniture while maintaining open views throughout the house.
Data
- Begun: Sep 2007
- Completed: Aug 2008
- Floor area: 205m2
- Sector: House
- Total cost: £570,000
- Funding: Private
- Tender date: Apr 2007
- Procurement: JCT intermediate
- Address: Cavendish Avenue, Cambridge, CB1, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Mole Architects
- Client: Private
- Engineer: Whitbybird
- Main contractor: Cambridge Building Collective
- Structural engineer: Ramboll
- Quantity surveyor: Sheriff Tiplady Associates
- Glass screen supplier: Firmans
- Timber frame supplier: KLH
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