RIBA Downland Prize for Architects
Overall Winner
Australia or Amberley? Chalet's Glass Extension Overhangs a Cliff Face
Barry Weir is a surprising man. He owns a 1954 Aston Martin - and two
years ago he drove it round the world in 80 days, becoming the first person
to do so in an historic car. He lives in a 1960s chalet bungalow in Amberley
- and onto the back of it he has built an extension which is essentially
a glass cube perched on stilts over the edge of a cliff.
Barry's
wife Roma found the house in 2000, while he was driving the Canada leg
of the Aston Martin trip. It had only a rear door and a small porch from
which to take in the full breathtaking view of five miles of undeveloped
flood plain owned by the RSPB. Teeming with wildlife, it floods in winter
and dries out in summer. 'I know that most people would have opted for
a brick extension with a picture window,' says Barry Weir. 'But it would
have been a wasted opportunity if we did not make best use of the view.
We wanted to blur the distinction between inside and outside.
Barry and Roma briefed architects Miller Hughes Associates in nearby Chichester
to design the extension. The practice had already refurbished a 16th century
Scottish castle (a Lorrimer work of art) for Barry some years earlier;
and undertaken work for his property management company. The Weirs' requirements
were simple: to take better advantage of the view; and to open up the
house to nature and the site's topography. A swimming pool and Jacuzzi
would also be included.
Harry Groucott and Mike Ford of Miller Hughes' extension is a split-level
glass cube which sits on a huge timber deck that 'sails' out over the
cliff. The extension is inspired by the work of American architect Frank
Lloyd Wright and by the 'outside-in' homes popular in the open spaces
of California and Australia.
The
structure is supported by stilts bolted onto concrete half way down the
cliff. 'The slim supports enhance the feeling of lightness and translucency,'
says Harry Groucott. A linear rooflight which separates the old building
from the new extension creates the illusion that the roof hangs in mid-air
with no obvious support. Comments Barry: 'The finished extension developed
our original vision beyond what we could have imagined.'
The rear wall of the house was removed, the kitchen was extended and a
utility area added to the back of the existing building. The extension
comprises a new dining area with the outside wall sliding back for easy
outdoor eating.
Stairs lead down to the lounge area, sundeck, swimming pool and Jacuzzi.
Glass walls between the lounge and the decking and pool are folded back
like a concertina when the weather is hot. Horizontal railings of brushed
steel and vertical hanging stainless steel chains which act as drainpipes
from the roof emphasise the simple linear forms.
The glass extension heats the rest of the house: even in winter, a little
sunshine can raise the temperature inside.
One year after completion, the Weirs relish the extensive views from the
extension. It faces south-east/north-west, catching the early morning
and afternoon sun and giving panoramic views of spectacular sunsets over
the South Downs.
Judges of the Downland Prize said in their report on Woodpeckers: 'The
extension responds to the beauty of the site and its environment by appearing
to suspend its occupiers in the sky and float them over the landscape.
The architects' response to their brief was ambitious and gentle, restrained
and well-detailed. They developed their clients' vision and exceeded it.'
Architects Harry Groucott and Michael Ford, Miller Hughes Associates -
Tel: 01243 774748
Email: mailto:info@ribasoutheast.org
Web: http:www.architecture.com
