Segal House

These much loved buildings built in the 1970’s are reaching a period where they require careful refurbishment with a sensitive approach to enlargement to provide living space for a modern day family. We worked with a family who are looking to extend their home whilst fully embracing the tectonic and practical approach of the 'Segal Method'.

The building fabric needed to be affordable, readily available and should not require skilled labour to assemble. Views out to the landscape are key, with any extension working with the stepped terrain of the site. The design looks to create a negative imprint of the building by inverting the panelled colour cladding. Profiled metal sheets form a rain screen cladding, with electric blue window apertures contrasting to the black extension.

A wildflower roof caps off the building within its green setting. A dynamic staircase sits within the building, providing a studio, den, storage and reading space. The extension to the living spaces is a wedge that although narrow (1.2m wide in parts) significantly enhances the quality of the existing house. By relocating the entrance to the house, we worked with Segal’s grid to reshuffle the spaces as was originally intended due to its modular design.

The scheme was originally refused planning permission as the extension was not parallel to the building (bonkers!) and was successfully appealed four months later. This highlights challenges within the planning system whereby a home owner of a self build house that was designed to empower the homeowner was restricted. The build stages were managed by the Client with close collaboration with the practice - an exciting joint venture focusing on low cost and practical methods of building.

Photography by Taran Wilkhu: www.taranwilkhu.com