This project involved the sensitive extension and alteration of a Grade II listed dwelling in West Sussex, dating from 1580.

 

The brief centred on creating high-quality contemporary family accommodation while respecting the exceptional age, character and architectural significance of the historic house.  A series of non-original lean-to garages and workshop structures to the side and rear of the property were carefully removed, providing an opportunity to rationalise the later additions and establish a more considered relationship between the listed building, its ancillary accommodation and surrounding landscape.

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The new interventions were carefully arranged around the historic house, with particular attention given to their scale, massing and hierarchy. A new kitchen and dining space forms the principal addition to the rear, complemented by a utility room, guest accommodation and garaging. The composition was deliberately articulated to ensure the new elements remained subservient to the original dwelling while creating a coherent sequence of contemporary spaces.

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Careful consideration was given to the junctions between old and new, allowing the historic fabric and form of the listed building to remain clearly legible. A restrained palette of dark-stained timber weatherboarding and traditional clay roof tiles was developed in consultation with the Local Planning Authority, providing a sympathetic material response without attempting to replicate the architecture of the original house.

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Internally, the new kitchen and dining space combines generous proportions with a strong sense of structure and craftsmanship. An area of vaulted ceiling with exposed oak roof trusses creates a distinctive focal point, bringing warmth and character to the contemporary accommodation while establishing a subtle dialogue with the material qualities of the historic building.

The result is a carefully balanced composition of old and new, where considered massing, traditional materials and refined detailing allow the contemporary additions to sit quietly alongside more than four centuries of architectural history.