13 minute read
Forest Farm
When architect Paul Langlois and his interior designer wife, Anne, first saw Forest Farm, they knew they could create something very special with the unused barn. Fortunately, their clients agreed and it is now an impressive family home – fusing the traditional Guernsey building with a modern extension to provide a house that is a pleasure to live in as well as to look at.
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Paul Langlois was involved with the owners from the very start of their house hunt. Having visited a number of properties, they couldn’t find the perfect opportunity – until they came across this site. For him, it was clear at that point that the search could stop.
“We met on site on a bright, crisp December day and I think we all knew immediately that we had found ‘the one’. The combination of the house’s seclusion along with the fantastic views across Petit Bot valley meant that the clients loved the location, and we could see so much potential with the property and the site itself. Although the farm building had been unused for many years, it wasn’t in terrible condition so we knew we had a great starting point for the project.”
While the original structure is still very much recognisable in the current building, it has seen substantial changes since that first visit. “The topography of the site meant that the building was cut into the slope with an entrance on the upper ground floor and a lower ground floor with a separate entrance. When we first saw it, the upper ground floor was dilapidated living accommodation and the lower ground floor had been used for storing farm equipment.”
While the interior of the building clearly needed substantial work and an extension was required to provide space for the family, Paul says the design of the house came relatively quickly.
“The main entrance remains on the upper ground floor with a single storey extension to the rear containing the children’s bedrooms along with a ‘Jack and Jill’ ensuite bathroom, a utility room, WC and sun lounge. The kitchen and living space are also at that level in the original building. That means they can maximise the views to the east across Petit Bot valley.” THE COMBINATION OF THE HOUSE’S SECLUSION ALONG WITH THE FANTASTIC VIEWS ACROSS PETIT BOT VALLEY MEANT THAT THE CLIENTS LOVED THE LOCATION, AND WE COULD SEE SO MUCH POTENTIAL WITH THE PROPERTY AND THE SITE ITSELF.
The lower ground floor houses the master bedroom and ensuite, along with a guest bedroom and ensuite and a storage room, linked to the upstairs rooms with a newly installed internal staircase and a traditional ‘front door’ that leads out to the garden. Altogether, it provides a substantial amount of family living space.
For Paul and Anne, however, designing a house is about much more than bedrooms, bathrooms and living spaces. The husband and wife team work together to create a space that is both highly functional as well as being aesthetically appealing. Anne says that while Paul is responsible for the overall design of the house and she takes control of the décor, it is very much a joint effort.
“We discuss the project together from the beginning, and both have a lot of input at every stage. Our partnership brings beautiful design but with a real focus on practicality. We would never design something that doesn’t work to actually live in.”
That practicality comes through in a huge amount of attention to detail throughout the house, from built in storage and seating using the old building’s nooks and crannies, to a bespoke utility room that was carefully designed to meet the family’s needs. It’s all carefully thought through to make the house an easy place to live, but with an aesthetic that will also make it very enjoyable. THE HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A SPACE THAT IS BOTH HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL AS WELL AS BEING AESTHETICALLY APPEALING. From first approach the house is striking, with the white gable of the old Guernsey granite building contrasting against the contemporary, dark timber clad extension and the rendered garage, allowing the three separate elements of the house to be clearly defined. When you step inside, the joining of the old and new is immediately apparent, something that was very purposeful for Paul.
“The main axis of the house defines the new and the original building. On the old side, the granite has been left exposed and the original openings have been retained so that the former farm building can still be read. On the new side, plastered walls provide a contrast to highlight the difference.”
Along with the granite, an equally important material in the house has been the use of glass. As you enter the house from the south, the north end of the hall has been glazed so you can see right through the building to the outside – look east and the use of glazing again allows you to see through the original building to the views beyond. It is thoughtful design from Paul, which also extends outside the house.
“A pergola and path linking the parking area and house extends the internal north-south axis
through the whole site. We used the same tiles externally on the path and through the hall to accentuate this and blur the internal/external boundary. That use of axes to extend the building beyond its walls is an important design element for us in everything we do. It makes the house feel larger and connects the occupants with the landscape even when indoors.”
With the stunning setting of Brae Barn, it was crucial to maximise the views throughout the house. Glazing and a cantilevered balcony on the east side allow for that, while the installation of new windows in the north gable provides a view from the dining area through the lounge to outside. Flat roof lights along the hall provide high natural daylight levels and views up to the sky while the sliding doors open the kitchen and dining space out onto the sunny south facing terrace, again blending the internal spaces with the outdoors.
Inside, the principal rooms are open to the roof with large roof lights providing a dramatic, light and airy space. That feel is added to with WE THINK MORE SUSTAINABILITY SHOULD BE MORE ENCOURAGED IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY, EVEN IF IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO RETAIN THE OLD FOUNDATIONS AND WALLS FOR THE NEW BUILDING. the interior design, which Anne says had a very clear concept.
“The overall aim was to create a pared back but warm, minimal interior to show the house at its best. We achieved it through the predominant use of soft white walls to allow the interesting architectural form of the building to take centre stage. There is colour in the house, but it is utilised minimally, such as the duck egg blue timber panelled kitchen wall and the yellow ochre in the master bedroom.”
Along with the design showcasing the original building, interior detailing has also been added to reference that agricultural heritage – with a bespoke rustic oak panelled sliding door with exposed black running gear a key feature of the living room, along with the matching timber floor. For Anne, that space was very carefully considered.
“While the living room is open and simply flows on from the rest of the house, it can be closed down if you want to exclude the noise from the kitchen or simply create a cosier atmosphere. Additionally, while we chose attractive but more budgetfriendly options in some areas of the house, such as the children’s bedrooms, this was a room where the clients chose to make some more extravagant choices – the wooden floor and bespoke sliding door are made from a beautiful French oak, which is simply a work of art in itself.”
Lighting has been precisely engineered throughout the house and has been carefully thought through, with a combination of feature lighting in the kitchen and living rooms providing a real focal point for those spaces, along with subtle ambient lighting elsewhere using recessed uplights and downlights, floor wash lighting and step tread lighting.
The build of Brae Barn was relatively straightforward, with the project begun in earnest in January 2019. It was finished exactly a year later, despite the extremely wet autumn in 2019 hampering progress.
“Despite working in terrible conditions towards the end of last year, luckily we had erected a canopy over the house so the work could continue throughout the awful weather. We were also
THE CONTRACTORS
• Paul Langlois Architects
• Ravenscroft Construction Ltd
• Dorey Lyle & Ashman Engineers
• ForeSite Surveying Services
• AC Surveys Ltd • Energy Consultancy Services Ltd • Timber & Damp Proofing
Specialists Ltd
• Eco-Space
• Bailiwick Windows and Doors
• Stainless Steel Fabrications
• Paul’s Joinery
• Bonsai Group
• D W Arundell & Co Ltd
• Luxioso
• Capelles Building Stores • Acorn Interiors fortunate in that there were no real surprises with the build. We did have to rebuild the south gable due to defective masonry, which we hadn’t originally planned to do, but apart from that there was no unexpected work.”
Even without added problems, and with the original building structurally sound, it was still a major build. The existing walls and lower ground floor slabs were retained but everything else was removed and replaced – with the south gable partially rebuilt. Platon membrane was laid internally over the existing lower ground floor slabs and up the walls to the roof eaves. All existing timber in the walls was removed to avoid any spread of rot, and the old timber lintels were replaced with concrete.
Internally, the external walls were dry lined on a timber frame and insulated while externally the natural granite on the east elevation was cleaned with a mild acid. The natural slate roof saw new A-frames and purlins replicate the original structure, and is now highly insulated with large, solar operated Velux rooflights.
The new extension used a timber frame built off a new slab and block walls with a highly insulated, natural slate, mono pitch roof with high level clerestory windows completing the structure.
The work to the house has certainly improved its efficiency with the added insulation meaning it now meets higher standards than current regulations require. Electric underfloor heating has been added throughout the house, and photovoltaic panels have been installed to help reduce its environmental impact. The roof lights are solar powered to reduce the energy burden, while LED lights have been installed throughout the house.
Thoughtful design has also replaced energy-heavy intervention in the house. The high natural light levels will reduce the need for artificial lighting and despite the large amounts of glazing in the kitchen and living spaces, Paul says the temperature of the house will stay well regulated.
“We’ve put Velux window in the roof so the clients can simply open the windows and get a draw of fresh air through the house. Natural passive ventilation is a far better way of regulating temperature than mechanical means, and gives a much more pleasant atmosphere.”
While the building itself is complete, there is still some work to be completed on the outside space for Paul and Anne’s vision to be complete. As always, landscaping is dependent on the seasons and, in time, areas such as the outside pergola will be softened by creepers and the car parking shielded from the house by hedging.
But the real success of a house comes from how those living in it feel about it, and in those terms this home has certainly achieved its objective. For the client, the project has been an unqualified success.
“Paul designed a scheme that was sensitive to our family needs and the site and steered us smoothly through the project from design and planning through to completion. Anne’s role in developing the design for the interior and exterior design palette took over seamlessly from Paul’s architectural designs, and the myriad of decisions required when building a house was handled by her with efficiency. Together, they have designed and delivered a beautiful, unique family home that we absolutely love.”
PONT COLLICHE
Between poor weather during the winter and the island’s lockdown in spring and summer, the Pont Colliche project has posed more than its fair share of challenges for the Guernsey Housing Association and lead contractor, Rihoy & Son. But having overcome them, they say they’ve produced a housing scheme that will bring real benefits to its new residents.
It has been 18 years since the creation of the Guernsey Housing Association (GHA), and with nearly 1,000 properties on its books, the island’s need for social and affordable housing shows no signs of slowing down.
As of August 2020, there were 143 people on the waiting list for its partial ownership scheme, and another 240 applicants for social rented accommodation, which the GHA runs in partnership with the States of Guernsey. Trying to keep up with the demand, the GHA has completed the first of two major developments scheduled to finish in 2020. Located in Saltpans Road, St Sampson’s, Pont Colliche is a community of 20 homes, with 12 for rent and eight for partial ownership purchase.
Having experienced delays due to bad weather, and site closures caused by lockdown, the build took longer than expected. However, the keys were handed over to
the properties’ new owners and tenants in July.
“People do seem to be genuinely pleased with the finished project and I know that we’re really happy with it. As you drive into it, there’s a lovely open feel; the properties look good. Like all construction projects, there were a few challenges along the way, but we’re delighted with the outcome,” said GHA development officer Andre Quevatre.
“There was a delay, obviously. We had to stop work because of lockdown and when we did return to the site, only limited numbers of people were allowed there at any one time, which made working difficult. Thankfully, the supply of materials wasn’t impacted on this particular site, though it has been a problem on other projects.”
The £3.99m. Pont Colliche development was part funded by the Committee for Employment and Social Security, which put up £1.65m. The remainder was covered by a bank loan.
The development’s eight partial ownership properties are a mix of two one-beds, two two-bed properties, and four three-beds. All of the rented homes are one-bed apartments, which are in huge demand. They’re also designed with disabled access in mind.
PEOPLE DO SEEM TO BE GENUINELY PLEASED WITH THE FINISHED PROJECT AND I KNOW THAT WE’RE REALLY HAPPY WITH IT. “Many of the applicants for one-bed housing are older or more mature, which is something we take into consideration when we design the properties. For example, we look at accessibility, so six of the flats are on the ground floor and all of them have wet rooms,” he explained.
Energy efficiency is crucial for all GHA builds. Not only do its homes have to be affordable to buy or rent, they have to be affordable to run. This is why the association’s specifications are much higher than on an average build, said Robin Le Page, operations director for Rihoy & Son, the project’s lead contractor.
“If you look at something like air tightness, building regulations require an air tightness figure of 10m3/h/m2 @ 50Pa. For the GHA, that figure is 2m3/h/ m2 @ 50Pa - it’s five times higher. With projects like this there is a level of insulation that you don’t tend to see elsewhere,” said Robin.
“Making sure these homes are as energy efficient as possible is a huge priority because the better insulated they are, the less water and electricity
