As nature intended

An innovative home, built as a flatpack from modular timber blocks, has been constructed on a highly sensitive and much cherished family site in Norfolk.

TEXT DEBBIE JEFFERY IMAGES JIM STEPHENSON

Gaining planning permission to build in a peaceful Norfolk meadow, surrounded by mature trees, seemed an impossibility for landowner Clare and her husband, until a pioneering architecture studio and an award-winning builder became involved. 

“A special piece of land had been left to us by a close family member,” explains Clare. “We lived nearby and visited the meadow with our children, enjoying it as a peaceful retreat, until by chance I saw an episode of Grand Designs about building Periscope House, which was designed by Studio Bark. It sparked an idea, as their village site is so close to our land.”

Located in a beautiful, isolated location in rural Norfolk, the new home had been granted permission unanimously at planning committee through Paragraph 84 of the National Planning Policy Framework (previously paragraph 55, 79, 80). Paragraph 84 relates to building in rural areas, where only designs of exceptional quality are approved, and Studio Bark has a successful history of gaining planning permission for such homes. “They came and met us in the field and understood how important it was for us to keep the setting as it was, so that any new build would be surrounded by meadow grass,” Clare recalls. “They were so passionate and gave us the confidence to move forward.”

The couple visited the practice at their London office, taking just two pictures as inspiration for their proposed new home. One was cut out of a newspaper, featuring a contemporary sustainable new build, and the other was a photo taken while holidaying as a family in Scotland. The timber-clad cottage was almost invisible in the natural beauty of the barren wilderness at the edge of Loch Ossian on the Corrour Estate, and encouraged the choice for their own exterior cedar cladding.

“We were so keen that whatever we built shouldn’t spoil the setting and would be highly sustainable,” says Clare. “Studio Bark did all the hard work, designing a contemporary three bedroom house with an open-plan
kitchen, living and dining space. Our two children are adults now, but we still wanted to be able to offer them rooms to stay when they visit, and the third bedroom also doubles as my office on the ground floor, opening onto the central courtyard.” 

The design team had ongoing discussions with the local community and parish council, as well as pre-application conversations with the case officer, which helped to inform and influence the proposal. The design itself developed through the use of mixed media, sketching, photography, CAD drawing, computer modelling, physical modelling and environmental testing. It then evolved through detailed collaboration with a range of specialist consultants, including surveyors, ecologists, structural engineers, drainage consultants, environmental specialists, CNC fabricators, plywood suppliers, Passive House designers, off-grid specialists, sewage treatment consultants and many more.

The architectural brief was to blur the distinction between the home and the beautiful plot of land in which it sits, and the two storey design shelters external space while enjoying the openness of the wider site. Arranged around a south facing, three-sided courtyard, the building was positioned in the north-west corner of the plot – offering long views and glimpses of the village church beyond – and is Studio Bark’s sixth house to have gained planning consent under Paragraph 84.

“If there ever was a part of a planning policy that could be described as truly interesting, then Paragraph 84 would be one of the contenders,” states practice founder, Wilf Meynell. “For a client, the policy allows the possibility to build an unprecedented home on a piece of land that would otherwise be unsuitable for development, and in so doing, to commission and own a bespoke piece of architecture.

“The majority of national planning policy is strongly weighted against development in open countryside, and the network of designated green belts was established to prevent urban sprawl, limiting rural development to agricultural uses. Paragraph 84 is an exemption clause that leaves open a route through planning policy for landowners hoping to build their own home and recognising the long tradition of English countryside houses. It mandates that local planning authorities should avoid new isolated homes in the countryside unless there are special circumstances such as the exceptional quality of the proposal.”

When it came to finding a contractor to take on the project, the couple chose award-winning specialist builders, Grocott & Murfit, who are based in the heart of North Norfolk. The company offers a complete building service, from design to completion, incorporating the latest products and eco-friendly technologies combined with best industry practices to deliver outstanding results. 

“We enjoyed working collaboratively with the architects and clients to see this new sustainable building come to life,” says company co-founder Daniel Grocott. “It was a fascinating build using the pioneering U-Build modular construction system developed by Studio Bark, and is the second largest project ever completed with this system. Clad in cedar, the property only looks better with age.”

The low-carbon U-Build construction system can be reused or easily modified, is environmentally responsible, and gives a high level of cost certainty. The system doesn’t require expensive cranes or specialist crews, offering a simple, low impact solution which is manufactured offsite using computer aided cutting to create a flat pack system on a 300mm repeating grid, which fits perfectly on a standard sheet of plywood to minimise waste. 

Developed over several years, the system was designed to simplify the construction process for self-builders, speeding up the process and hugely reducing the overall embodied energy in comparison to traditional construction techniques on a build of the same scale. Building modules are both material efficient and incredibly precise, cut to 0.1mm accuracy. This minimises the overall waste generated and ensures that elements fit together with ease to create an airtight building envelope.

Each module has been carefully proportioned so it can be easily manoeuvred by a single person, which importantly eliminates the need for heavy, disruptive machinery and therefore reduces the overall impact onsite and minimises disruption to the surrounding residents. “Studio Bark talked us through it, and we undertook our own research,” says Clare. “It really is an exceptional building method which allowed us to help out at every stage during the build.”

The U-Build boxes are incredibly easy to piece together using just a mallet, a screwdriver and a spanner. Made of solid plywood or OSB, the system is bolted together with standard coach bolt fixings, and the resulting structure is robust, resilient and cheap to maintain.

“Of course there were a few trials and tribulations during the build – mostly associated with the weather, but the Grocott & Murfit team cleverly installed a scaffold roof, which protected the building during construction throughout the seasons,” says Clare. “We were only living half an hour away from the site, and also had a caravan on the land, so it was a pleasure to visit the meadow almost every day and spend time there.”

The couple assisted in assembling the timber boxes and became part of the team, tidying the site, making tea, and helping out wherever possible. “We were fortunate to have the team of builders that we had, as their work ethic was supreme,” says Clare. “The excellent carpentry skills of the Grocott & Murfit team to the external cladding and interior woodwork were empathetically finished.”

Green roofs help the building to further disappear into the landscape, and its narrow plan with high-level openings makes the most of natural ventilation, lessening the risk of overheating in the summer months. Underfloor heating was laid throughout and connected to an air source heat pump, with additional power supplied by photovoltaic panels hidden on the roof.

The predominantly timber construction results in a very low impact and low energy house. Controlled openings to the south, with heavyweight floor and surface finishes, store warmth from passive solar gain which is released slowly during the cooler parts of the day and night.

“As an environmentally focused practice, we relish taking on Paragraph 84 schemes as they offer a chance for us to really push the ecological credentials of a design,” says architect Wilf Meynell. “Paragraph 84 is an exciting piece of policy, and we’re pleased that it exists to protect the countryside, yet also provides creative possibilities for the very best that architecture can offer.”

With its square form, high ceilings, and elongated windows, the building was constructed on different levels, with lower, more intimate spaces such as the snug creating contrast. Once the interiors had been plastered, the couple finished this with a mist-coat of white paint for a clean feel. Hard flooring was laid downstairs, and birch panelling creates a feature wall in every room. 

“I admire the simple, pared-back, modern designs of architect John Pawson, and wanted to keep the interiors as minimalist as possible after visiting an exhibition of his work which was just so peaceful,” says Clare. “Before now, we always had period properties and are still trying to reduce our belongings to create a less busy feel.”

As guardians of the site and passionate gardeners it was important to Clare, and especially her husband, that the landscaping would be sensitively developed and central to the project. Studio Bark collaborated with local ecologists, Torc Ecology, to create a light touch proposal that would enhance the site, encouraging new flora and fauna through carefully selected planting of fruit trees and wildflowers. An indigenous orchard was a particular request, and vegetables are also grown on the plot.

The surrounding meadow remains untouched around the house, with only a small margin framing the timber building, and grass paths lead to the pond and the newly planted orchard. A small stream runs through the field, and the boundary hedgerow has been repaired and infilled, with oak trees planted and a willow on the stream’s edge. 

Access to the 125m2 house is just a farm track with a gate at the end, and fences were prohibited by the planners to allow the free flow of wildlife. “I feel as though I’m living in their world at times, watching birds of prey, hares, deer, butterflies and dragonflies,” remarks Clare.

“Our upstairs hidden terrace creates a private space where we can enjoy views upwards of both the sky and birds in flight, as well as the wildlife that visits the site. Moonlight floods the house at night, and bats circulate the courtyard at dusk.” 

The couple even decided to keep their upstairs bathroom window as clear rather than frosted glass as the plot is so private, and the window overlooks nearby woodland. “The house is such a clever design, opening to its natural surroundings with views of the majestic oak-framed fields and Bintree Woods beyond,” says Clare. 

“A friend commented that they would never be able to get anything done living here, because they would always be stopping to stare out of windows at the view. You really do feel totally immersed in the countryside.”