The Old Rectory

The project consisted of creating a contemporary garden which extends the house’s accommodation outdoors, and includes a new detached single storey building that site in the at the edge of the garden and connects it to the landscape beyond.

The aim was to reconnect the property with the garden and river by creating a social space in the sunniest spot between the garden and paddock. The Garden Room was to be cosy in feel with a log burner and integral kitchen, exploiting the view over a paddock to the river and beyond. Space for entertaining was a must as was running water and electricity. The building is part timber framing, part masonry construction. Serving as a leisure building, the Garden Room provides an all seasons retreat in the heart of the garden.

The expressive roof acts as a way of drawing in south light, whist the panoramic corner window looks out across the paddock towards the river. An open kitchen and terrace relates back towards the main house creating a social space for gatherings of family and friends. The garden design primarily creates a well-considered social space immediately outside the house, which then extends out to a series of functions and zones including an existing swimming pool, linking the spaces together and creating better routes around the grounds.

Rain water run-off is slowed by the green roof and collected for irrigation, and overflow is to a SUD’s compliant swale where it is attenuated for a minimum 24 hours before percolating naturally into the ground water system. There is no foul waste in the scheme.

Annual CO2 emissions data (requested in kg/m2/year) was provided as follows: Not calculated