The Last House
Craig & Jane invited us to replace a tired, dated and ugly house they had recently purchased with a bright, spacious and modern home. One which would be more fitting for their conservation village setting.
Taking inspiration from the historic setting our design is composed of two wings split by a large open-plan and double-height kitchen, living and dining space. This will allow Craig & Jane’s family to come together in the central space to socialise but also allow them to retreat into the wings when needed. This is particularly important for Jane’s father-in-law who will be moving into the new house. Our design provides him with his own, self-contained living and sleeping space on the ground floor.
We worked closely with a heritage consultant and local planning officers, as well as Craig and Jane, to develop a sensitively designed, modern home for the site. Our careful approach paid off as we were awarded planning permission at the first attempt for the couple’s dream home. This was despite its location in a rural conservation area.
At the detailed design stage, we have collaborated with Craig, who will be self-building the house, and a timber frame manufacturer. As part of this, we have produced a thorough set of construction information which will help Craig to build the house as quickly as possible.
Photo Credit: N/A
Location: Teversall, Nottinghamshire
Client: Private
Planning: 2018
Site: 2019
Completion: 2019
Gross internal floor area: 350m2
Energy consumption: 29 kWh/m2.a
Budget: £1140/m2 [Self Built]
The House in the Woods
Dave asked us to design him and his growing family a new home in overgrown woodland on the edge of a village. He had fallen in love with the site and so wanted the design to take full advantage of its setting.
Our proposal will give Dave & his family a generous home. One which will feel light, spacious and fully immersed in its woodland setting. The sensation of sitting underneath a shady tree looking out at the world was our inspiration for the main living space. The bedrooms, on the other hand, will feel like a collection of tree houses sat within the treetops.
A restrained palette of glass, steel and perforated Corten will help to embed our design into its woodland surroundings.
It was vital the house and woodland landscape worked together as one. We, therefore, worked closely with our landscape architects to develop the landscape and architectural concepts in parallel and gain maximum value from the design process.
Our design will be tested using Paragraph 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework which requires us to demonstrate the design is exceptional and innovative. To give the project the best chance of gaining planning we have been working closely with a planning consultant, arboriculturist and the Yorkshire design review service to address the majority of potential objections prior to submission.
“The architecture is highly innovative, with a strong metaphorical relationship with its woodland setting…”
Yorkshire Design Review Service Panel Member
Photo Credit: N/A
Location: Scarcroft, Leeds
Client: Private
Planning: Submitted January 2019
Site: TBC
Completion: TBC
Energy consumption: TBC
Budget: £2000/m2
Brattleby
Lee and Jaclyn invited us to design their dream, light-filled home. One which would help them to spend time together as a family in a small rural village near Lincoln.
Our design makes careful use of Lee and Jaclyn’s tight budget. The house is a simple, barn-like form which makes the most of its modest floor area and will be cost-effective to construct. We have then carefully spent the budget on features that will bring moments of joy to their home. These features include the dramatic, double height entrance hall and a luxurious master bedroom suite which takes full advantage of the surrounding views.
The site, located in a conservation area, already had planning permission for a fairly standard house. This wasn’t to Lee & Jaclyn’s tastes so they were keen to amend it to a contemporary design which matched their needs as a family. We had to work closely with our clients, the local authority and a conservation consultant on the project. And gained planning for a modern design in a sensitive setting.
Our design, whilst contemporary in appearance, takes inspiration from its surroundings. The gable ends resemble a simple barn and the roof pitch matches other buildings in the area. A carefully chosen palette of materials reflect the rich tones of the village.
We designed the house to be extremely warm and comfortable to live in whilst using very little energy compared to a typical new-build house. The house will comfortably meet the AECB Performance Standard.
We have been guiding Lee & Jaclyn through all aspects of the self-build process to help them get the most out of this once in a lifetime process.
Photo Credit: N/A
Location: Brattleby, Lincolnshire
Client: Private
Planning: May 2019
Site: July 2019
Completion: TBC
Energy consumption: 15 kWh/m2.a
Budget: £1650/m2
Cortworth Road
Andy and Jodie asked us to transform their dark and dated four-bedroom house into a larger, modern family home. One they could enjoy for many years to come.
We worked closely with Andy and Jodie to design a new layout that would create the inviting family environment they have always dreamed of. It was important to remove the dark and disconnected spaces to create a lighter, open-plan space with a modern aesthetic.
“Before working with PTA, we had a 1960s house that was still stuck in the 60s! It was dark and dated with an ineffective heating and plumbing system.”
With this in mind, the centrepiece of the house is a fantastic double-height entrance that floods the house with light. It gives added functionality with built-in storage on the ground floor, and on the first floor, there is an open study area for the whole family to use.
Stylish wood cladding, new render and grey aluminium windows and doors will update the overall appearance and compliment Andy and Jodie’s new colour palette. Increased insulation and air-tightness with high-performance windows and doors will make the home more comfortable to live in.
At the rear, a new extension will house a much larger kitchen, dining space and playroom – the essential components to any family home. This space, which will undoubtedly become the heart of the home, is connected so that they can keep an eye on their young family and also provides stunning views of their extensive garden. As an active family, they’ll also be able to make the most of their patio in summer and enjoy spending time outside together.
“We didn’t think twice about working with Paul and the team after seeing the new extension they created for a friend’s period property in Norfolk. It was modern and simple, yet striking.”
Andy and Jodie now have an extra bedroom for guests to stay, along with a new master bedroom and en-suite for themselves. We also upgraded their youngest child’s bedroom, which was previously small and cold, doubling it in size for her to enjoy as she gets older. To the side of the house, we designed a generous utility room and WC, which was an important addition in order for Jodie to run the family home.
We have enjoyed managing every stage of the project from design through to making regular site visits. We’re in touch with Andy and Jodie on a regular basis, keeping them updated on progress with plenty of photos. As their first point of contact, we’re always on hand to deal with any issues and answer any questions to give them peace of mind.
“We’re really excited for the project to complete. We can’t wait to have an open-plan kitchen and dining area, and lots of light spaces. Oh, and a working shower!”
Andy and Jodie, Upsizers, Sheffield.
Location: Ecclesall, Sheffield
Client: Private
Contractor: Terry Huggett Developments
Planning: February 2017
Site: April 2018
Completion: Early 2019
Energy consumption: N/A
Construction Cost: £900/m2
Sycamore Hall
John and Jean asked us to transform their small, dated bungalow into a future-proofed, sustainable retirement home. One that is full of light, warm, economic and easy to live in.
We fully reconfigured their home internally, added two small extensions and strategically placed rooflights to create the generous, light-filled living spaces they craved.
To make the most of their beautiful view we created three special windows. Two of these can be enjoyed from generous window seats giving you the feeling that you’re sat in the landscape.
An extremely thorough retrofit of insulation, triple glazed windows, air-tightness work and mechanical ventilation have made their home a wonderfully warm and quiet building to live in during their retirement.
We supported John & Jean throughout their project from planning right through to construction. We helped them to choose the right contractor, manage their costs and worked with their contractor to deliver this fantastic project to a very high standard.
“Much of the good design is summed up in the living room main window and box seat – economically enlarging an existing window space, and transforming it into one of the centre pieces of the building both visually and functionally. Young and old are drawn to it, they love it.”
John & Jean, Downsizers, Bolsterstone
Photo credit: Dug Wilders Photography
Location: Bolsterstone
Client: Private
Contractor: Terry Huggett Developments
Planning: June 2015
Site: Jan 2016
Completion: May 2017
Energy consumption: 48 kWh/m2.a
Construction Cost: £1300/m2
Awards: Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2018 – Shortlisted
Hunshelf Park
Our Green Homes asked us to gain planning for 10 new homes on a tricky site in Stocksbridge. Each house had to be affordable, spacious, highly sustainable and customisable by the purchaser.
The Passivhaus standard was the natural choice for the project. It allowed us to meet our client’s very high sustainability and comfort standards but it also helped us to minimise the acoustic impact of the nearby steelworks; one of the barriers which had prevented the site from being developed before.
We used the steeply sloping site to our advantage: raising the development above the road and placing parking to the front to increase the acoustic separation of the homes from the steelworks. This also allowed for fantastic long views over Stocksbridge from first-floor windows to help increase the development’s saleability.
We designed the homes to be flexible internally so Our Green Homes could provide customisable dwellings within the same standard shell. This helps purchasers to choose a layout that matches their family’s needs. Our design also helps homeowners to easily adapt things in the future to suit their changing needs.
Working closely with our client we developed a robust construction strategy for the project. One which would allow it to be built to an extremely high standard but within a budget so the homes to be sold at an affordable price. Similar to our Self Build on a Shoestring Concept Design we have reduced our reliance on wet trades to dramatically reduce the build’s programme. Our design also minimises waste as far as possible and makes the best use of standard, off the shelf components.
We collaborated with planning, highways and acoustic consultants to overcome the majority of possible objections prior to submitting a full planning application. This helped to reduce our client’s risk and meant the scheme was approved unanimously at the planning committee.
“[Paul Testa Architecture] has sustainability and energy efficiency at the core of their designs. They have designed several Passivhaus buildings before and were an obvious choice to work with.”
Photo credit: N/A
Location: Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire
Client: Our Green Homes [Bentsfield Ltd.]
Planning: 2019
Site: TBC
Completion: TBC
Energy consumption: 14 kWh/m2.a
Budget: £1100/m2
Hoylandswaine
David & Barbara asked us to design them a new home on an open field next to their existing house. They wanted a home which made the most of their extensive views and is perfect for entertaining guests.
We proposed a single storey home which snakes its way across the sloping site. This creates a range of both sheltered and more open outdoor spaces directly connected to the house. This means David & Barbara will be able to enjoy the long views and their garden no matter the weather.
We have designed the plan of their new home with entertaining in mind. You enter directly into a large open plan kitchen/living/diner with a dramatic vaulted ceiling.
A corridor which opens directly onto a sheltered courtyard space leads you to the master bedroom and three generously sized bedrooms that are perfect for guests to retreat to. All the bedrooms take advantage of the long views to the North and we have placed high-level windows to the South so they can also benefit from direct sunlight.
A simple palette of local stone, timber and metal, along with a green roof, will help to embed the design into its surroundings.
Our design will be tested using Paragraph 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework which requires us to demonstrate that the design is exceptional and innovative. To give the project the best chance of gaining planning we have been working closely with a planning consultant, landscape architect and highways consultant to address the majority of potential objections prior to submission.
Photo Credit: N/A
Location: Hoylandswaine, Barnsley
Client: Private
Planning: Submitted February 2019
Site: TBC
Completion: TBC
Energy consumption: TBC
Budget: £2000/m2
Footgate Close
Paul & Kate asked us to modernise and extend their cramped, cold 1960s semi to create a warm, comfortable and generous home for their young family.
We transformed the ground floor to create an open plan kitchen, living and dining space which allows them to spend plenty of quality time together as a family. A new side extension helped us to create more space for the essentials of family life: such as generous utility space, playroom, downstairs W.C. and plenty of storage space.
Upstairs we added a new master bedroom with a secluded roof terrace. The perfect retreat at the end of a long day.
We worked extremely closely with the main contractor to meet the rigorous Passivhaus Enerphit performance & energy standard for the house. This has made Paul and Kate’s home wonderfully warm and comfortable for them and their young daughters to live.
“It has been an enjoyable experience and since the planning application has been approved, I look forward to a new adventure ahead where I know I’ll be in safe hands!”
Kate, Upsizer, Sheffield
Location: Oughtibridge, Sheffield
Client: Private
Contractor: Terry Huggett Developments
Planning: May 2017
Site: August 2018
Completion: May 2019
Energy consumption: 25 kWh/m2.a
Construction Cost: £1700/m2
Stringer Barn Conversion
Allyson invited us to design a spacious barn conversion for her and her growing family. The barn conversion had to become a warm and cosy home which made the most of views from her green belt site.
We designed the house around a hearth which very much becomes the heart of the family home. Around this we arranged a series of broken-plan spaces so that Allyson and her family could feel connected whilst spending time enjoying separate activities. This included a series of double height spaces which bring plenty of daylight into the heart of the house whilst also connecting the first and second floor together.
We helped Allyson through a tricky planning process as a result of the site’s green belt location. This meant we had to work hard with the barn’s existing structure rather than replacing it. A mix of timber, stone and steel roofing was used to help the new house blend into its rural location despite Allyson’s desire for a modern home.
We targeted the Passivhaus Enerphit performance and energy standard for the home. This required lots of careful work during the detailed design stage of the project to help the old barn to achieve the standard. However it will mean that Allyson’s family will have a warm, cosy and healthy home with minimal running costs for many years to come.
We have guided Allyson through each stage of the project including helping her narrow down the choice of contractors for her dream build. We’re now looking forward to the project starting on site in the near future.
Location: Emley, West Yorkshire
Client: Private
Planning: 2016
Site: TBC
Completion: TBC
Energy consumption: 25 kWh/m2.a
Budget: £1350/m2
The Hen House
Jo and Gail asked us to design them a warm, light-filled, new-build home to downsize to in the steeply sloping garden of their existing house.
We carved a two storey dwelling into their difficult plot whilst maximising the amazing views to the West, avoiding numerous mature trees or overlooking their existing property.
Their new home is accessed on the upper level. Here we have created a spacious, light-filled kitchen, living and dining space with fantastic views. This is clad in beautiful timber shingles which will soften with age and blend the house into its wooded surroundings.
The lower floor houses the bedrooms and support spaces in a solid, dark masonry plinth. The bedrooms feel snug and softly lit which contrasts well with the bright, spacious upper floor.
There had been four failed attempts to gain planning for the site previously. Our sensitively designed proposal was awarded planning on our first attempt.
We designed the house to be extremely warm and comfortable to live in whilst using very little energy compared to a typical new-build house.
We guided Jo and Gail throughout the process, helping them to choose the best contractor for the job and working with them to deliver a fantastic home to a high standard.
“It’s just over 8 weeks since we moved into our new home, and we still can’t believe that we get to live here. It feels like we’ve moved to a new country rather than to the bottom of the garden!”.
Jo & Gail, Self-builders, Sheffield
Photo credit: Dug Wilders Photography
Location: Bradway, Sheffield
Client: Private
Contractor: Simplicity Construction
Planning: 2015
Site: May 2017
Completion: March 2018
Energy consumption: 36 kWh/m2.a
Construction Cost: £1975/m2
Awards: IStructE Yorkshire Region Awards 2018 – Best Small Project; Sheffield Design Awards 2018 – Highly Commended; Build It Awards 2018 – Best Timber Frame Home;