ARCO2 Architecture designed a comfortable yet contemporary multi-generational living solution, marrying the future aspirations of the client with our sustainable design goals.
Previous dwelling
The existing single-storey bungalow provided minimal living accommodation suitable for modern family needs, which was essential in the construction of Wayside. The bungalow was of poor-quality construction and in today’s context its refurbishment and expansion would not equate to economical or sustainable future-proofing. The site was also surrounded to the west by a large hedgerow that screened out the views of beautiful Mawgan Porth. Previous access to the bungalow was inefficient and took up a large degree of site space separating the building from the surrounding landscape. In combination with the rear retaining wall, this minimised natural light to the north and east elevations. The property also lacked external private space and was generally overlooked by neighbouring properties. In contrast, the proposal of Wayside was carefully designed to respect the sensitive locality with references to the landscape. The softness of the local materials promotes a robust Cornish identity, further enhanced by new planting and sensitive landscaping to screen the building. These combined strategies engender a recessive, humble, subservient character that assimilates with the topography and procures a contemporary link to the built environment of Mawgan Porth. Created for the future, through a sustainable lens, Wayside truly is the pinnacle of innovative and modern architecture, designed by ARCO2 Architecture to respect the land.
ARCO2 Architecture’s brief
When it came to creating a brief, it was important that the proposal for the property both supported the clients themselves and the current and future needs of the mother of one of the clients. While improvement and expansion of the previous property were technically feasible, the premise of a high-quality sustainable home is now tabled as an opportunity to greatly improve the character of the area. Wayside needed to consist of an open plan living space, including a kitchen, dining and lounge area as well as four bedrooms with lots of natural light and private views. The client also wanted this to include an inviting entry sequence and foyer with private amenity space and improved privacy to the rear; overall the design was intended to be homely, convenient and spatially comfortable, suitable for multi-generational living. Wayside was designed with the provision of sustainable improvement upon the previous dwelling, encouraging a built environment focused on health and wellbeing exploring breathable construction, rainwater harvesting and high levels of insulation. The ultimate aim, combining both ARCO2 Architecture’s environmental objectives and the needs of the client, was to provide a timeless building that harmoniously blended with its surroundings.
Design and construction
The design of Wayside minimises impact to the area and provides a greater age cross-section to Mawgan Porth, supporting a variety of local public services and businesses. Aligned with paragraph 58 of the National Planning Policy Framework, which encourages design to “reflect the identity of local surroundings and materials, while not preventing or discouraging appropriate innovation”, the design language of Wayside cross-references the unique characteristics of the site and Mawgan Porth as a whole. The clients’ brief and schedule of accommodation has been carefully considered to create a house of low visual impact and a positive sense of place. The final product is a multi-generational living solution for the client and their family, interconnecting social spaces with private amenity spaces and encompassed by uninterrupted beach and sea views with an abundance of natural light. The property was constructed by our sister company ADD Sustainable Construction to ensure a cohesive flow between design and build. This included the construction of beautiful features like external walls to eliminate overlooking and covered balconies in which to spend balmy summer evenings. Designed by ARCO2 Architecture for sociable living, Wayside is a sleek and functional family home that both blends with the land it inhabits while offering a versatile space for the clients to make their own.
Sustainability
It is always our aim to construct the unique and innovative design of our properties as sustainably as possible while adhering to the client’s needs. Wayside is constructed on an encapsulated cast in-situ concrete raft which was locally manufactured using secondary aggregate from the clay industry and later sealed with a 100% recycled DPM. The walls consist of two independent timber frames which allows for maximum recycled newspaper insulation without cold bridging throughout the walls. We implemented a high-efficiency MVHR system to provide excellent indoor air quality, filtering the moisture, particulates and pollutants, while reducing noise levels with its rigid ducting. The lighting both inside and outside of Wayside is 100% dedicated low energy and the property has a minimum of A-rated appliances throughout. The dwelling balances environmental sensitivity with high performance; it exceeds the minimum passive house u-values whilst also having a very respectable air pressure test result to maintain consistent comfort levels throughout the year. It even has a Klargester package treatment plant to provide environmentally safe treated effluent with low running costs of approximately 10p to 14p a day.
It has been a pleasure creating this home for our clients, Mr and Mrs Luxton, who told us: “It has been fantastic working with ARCO2 Architecture to design our beautiful bespoke property in Mawgan Porth, Wayside. They understood exactly what we were after from out very first meeting – a contemporary, ecological family home that can be used by different generations with a mind to future use and potential disabilities; overall we’ve been extremely pleased with our relationship with ARCO2 as well as their in-house construction company ADD Sustainable Construction who we used to build the property. We’ve had a great rapport with everyone we’ve worked with; they’ve often gone above and beyond to help us out and as a result we now have a beautiful property to enjoy for years to come.”
Have a closer look at Wayside and discover more about its unique features.