design et al are delighted to announce that David James Architects & Associates Ltd are the successful winners for the £2.5-5 Million (Property Value) Award in The International Design & Architecture Awards 2014.
A spectacular and unique private residence, with remarkable street presence and an exceptional living experience, having full 180-degree views. The client’s brief was to maximise the use of the site, whilst unlocking the difficult ground level changes and relating the new house to the surrounding built environment.
The house was to have large expanses of glass, making the most of the views, whilst it was also important to have a flowing relationship with the ground floor garden. The house was to include four bedrooms; all en suite and ample living space, as would be expected in a house of this caliber. The plan was to have an integral double garage, home cinema/ multiuse room and a separate study.
The architectural response to the site was to place the house closest to the northern boundary, affording the opportunity for the internal accommodation to expand towards the south and western light and openness of the site.
Due to the natural changing ground levels, the pedestrian access was located higher up the slope, whilst the vehicular access was located to the lowest part of the site. The integral double garage and media room were designed to be at the lowest point on the site and this facilitated that the ground floor had a seamless relationship with the higher ground level of the garden and pedestrian access.