Hunsett Mill

Set in a remote area of the Norfolk Broads, this holiday home is close to a busy waterway popular with boaters. As such, most people will observe the house from the water. With this in mind, architects Acme conceived the extension as a shadow sitting within the sight lines of a retained mill cottage.

Observed from this particular vantage point, the extension disappears behind the cottage. Charred Japanese oak further alludes to the shadow concept, as does the impression of insubstantiality gained by the use of frameless glazing set flush with the cladding.

The project’s roof form is a series of linked gables that unfurl behind the cottage’s pitched roof. Internally, an impression of solidity is achieved by exposing the solid timber construction. This extends to the doors, which appear as moveable sections of wall. The solid timber construction sits above a concrete plinth, a measure designed to minimize flood damage.