constructive individuals

Jesmond House

front (south) elevation

side (east) elevation (office not shown)

By trading in existing domestic and working space we obtained Planning Permission to demolish the existing dwelling that had been on the Ginn family's land for three generations and replace it with a new passive solar house with attached office plus detached garage and two storey garden building. A modern but simple form within the greenbelt reflecting the couple's recent experiences of living in Germany.

ground floor plan (office not shown)

first floor plan

Entrance and service areas to the north open up through sandblasted glass sliding doors into a large rectilinear living space flooded with sunlight through extensive roof glazing and high performance glazed walling. Tiled and timber ground floor finishes meet in a sweeping curve that follows the line of a curvaceous staircase of thick oak treads cantilevered from a mass concrete dividing screen between living and cooking spaces. This stair wraps itself around a purpose made fuel efficient woodstove based on the Austrian 'Grundofen'. The stair arrives at a first floor open gallery with timber clad sloping ceilings offering fine views across the surrounding greenlands. Three double bedrooms and family bathroom come off the gallery all with high level glazing allowing sunlight into the back of the house.

View of the west elevation, during construction

Underfloor heating on a Marshalls jetfloor support the wood stove to see off the worst winter temperatures in a house that will be largely heated with solar energy and lose little heat through a highly insulated timber and cellulose fibre structure. Clad in cedar feather edged boarding and topped with concrete interlocking tiles the design is the culmination of an extensive consultation process between architect and client.

Planning Permisison May 2000
Commencement on site November 2000
Completed August 2002
House 206m2; Office 77m2; Garage 36m2; Garden building 72m2
Estimated construction cost of house Ł161,000 (Ł783/m2)


front (south) elevation	side (east) elevation (office not shown)
By trading in existing domestic and working space we obtained Planning Permission to demolish the existing dwelling that had been on the Ginn family's land for three generations and replace it with a new passive solar house with attached office plus detached garage and two storey garden building. A modern but simple form within the greenbelt reflecting the couple's recent experiences of living in Germany.
ground floor plan (office not shown)	first floor plan
Entrance and service areas to the north open up through sandblasted glass sliding doors into a large rectilinear living space flooded with sunlight through extensive roof glazing and high performance glazed walling. Tiled and timber ground floor finishes meet in a sweeping curve that follows the line of a curvaceous staircase of thick oak treads cantilevered from a mass concrete dividing screen between living and cooking spaces. This stair wraps itself around a purpose made fuel efficient woodstove based on the Austrian 'Grundofen'. The stair arrives at a first floor open gallery with timber clad sloping ceilings offering fine views across the surrounding greenlands. Three double bedrooms and family bathroom come off the gallery all with high level glazing allowing sunlight into the back of the house.