Forever home featuring an Urban Front Passive door

What was the brief? 
IB: Helen’s previous house was Grade II listed and, although beautiful, suffered all the usual issues that accompany a period property: cold in winter, draughty, and areas with poor natural daylight. Helen approached us with ambitions to create a home full of daylight, that was warm yet retained character. 

HT: I wanted a home that was light and calm with a simple aesthetic including a kitchen/diner that would feel open and welcoming, and a separate lounge space to retreat to in the evening.

What did you want from your new home? 
HT: I was downsizing and wanted a smaller, simpler house that would be a final forever home. A light-filled, calm, and welcoming space. Something smaller: easier to manage and energy efficient to run. Just enough space to still be able to have friends to stay.

I also wanted two bedrooms so there was space to invite friends to stay. And outdoor areas to enjoy fine days in the garden plus a cat flap for two cats to make themselves at home.

How did Mole Architects achieve this?
IB: The narrow plot contained a two-bedroom bungalow. With a busy road to the south and a secluded garden with valley views to the north, the plot posed a challenge: how to maximise daylight from the south yet connect the house with the garden and views to the north?

Our design responds to these challenges by arranging the house around a central courtyard, with the kitchen facing the road but also opening onto the courtyard. A living room at the rear of the house is dual aspect, which allows the sun to flood into the room and addresses the rear garden directly.

A vaulted ceiling in the living room is finished with a large roof light. The master bedroom is nestled to the north of the house, facing into the garden, in the quietest corner of the plot.

The house is predominantly single-storey, so as not to cause overlooking issues with the neighbour's house, that’s set back from the road. However, by creating a taller-than-average asymmetrical roof, an upstairs guest bedroom could be snuck in. The bedroom sits behind a ‘secret’ door with its own staircase.

Why did you decide to build to Passive House standards? 
IB: Helen’s house is designed using Passive House principles but isn’t certified. The house is wrapped in a thick blanket of insulation to keep the heat in. The house is also well sealed and meets the Passive House standard of 0.6 airchanges/m2 /hour (the average new build house is around 5 airchanges by comparison). Triple-glazed windows and the Urban Front door help to keep the airtightness levels consistent. The home has underfloor heating, powered by an air source heat pump, located at the bottom of the garden. Fresh air is brought into the house through a mechanical heat exchanger, recycling the heat from the stale air being pumped out from the bathrooms and kitchen.

What was your vision for the entrance to the property? 
HT: I came from a listed period property that had a beautiful solid wood door. I wanted my new home to have that same solid, quality feel and the entrance is one of the first experiences of the house.

IB: The large and impressive entrance door opens to a central spine corridor that weaves through the house and all rooms peel off it. As the door is so well sealed, as you’d expect for a door that meets Passive House standards, it's an excellent acoustic barrier. Once inside the house feels tranquil and calm. The neutral colour scheme sets off Helen's amazing collection of paintings and furniture. 

Why did you choose an Urban Front door and are you happy with your choice? 
HT: I love it! I love the quality, the wood, the simple aesthetic, and the generous width of the door. Lots of people have commented, so it’s making a great impression.

IB: Very happy - the door adds a richness of texture to the initial point of entry, and, whilst I’m a big fan of bold colours for front doors normally, in this instance the oak sits perfectly with the mellow tones of brick and stone.

Can you tell me about the external brick and roof material?
IB: We sought a simplicity with the roof material, to counter the complex geometry. The zinc roof is muted in tone, and the detailing looks very simple especially around the dormer window, the shape of the roof transitions from the neighbour's house, with its many dormers towards the trees on the opposite side.

HT: I like the natural solidity of brick and Ian found a lovely handmade option in just the right soft colour to fit in with the local surroundings. Every few rows, the mortar is scraped out to provide a bit of detail and to echo the local stonework. The zinc roof is very durable, and I wanted a sharp, contemporary aesthetic.