34 PROJECT REPORT: SELFBUILD & CUSTOM BUILD PROJECTS


“Nothing in the house is symmetrical apart from that loggia window”


Having designed a dramatically modern brick and glass structure however, the task was to get it through planning, which was not to be underestimated. Planning was refused at the first time of asking – “you just don’t get to do that in the South Downs,” says Cashin. It was won on appeal with the help of a planning consultant, who made the argument that it was not a brand new dwelling but a replacement. This 250 m2


replacement


would be around 250 per cent bigger than its predecessor on the site, with the council’s nominal limit being around a 35 per cent increase, says Cashin.


A further argument was made that helped tip the balance, namely that the footprint rule was based around creating ‘affordable’ dwellings in the region, but “no-one was going to be able to claim this was affordable housing stock,” says Cashin, “so the policy was void.” He counsels: “You don’t argue against the policy, you argue with the reasons behind it. If you can do that, the inspector has a bit more subjective awareness.”


Form


Inspired by contemporary European houses, such as in Switzerland, Holland and Belgium, the architects set about creating a


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striking, minimalist form that would also hunker down in this gently ascending hillside site, with trees sitting behind it. Replacing the barn and double garage would be a “low-profile single storey element which tries to bury itself in the hill a bit,” says Cashin. Attached to this, there is a two-storey volume which stands where the demolished cottage was. From a distance, the silhouette would be similar to that of the former Herdsman Cottage as a result. However, the house departs from tradition in many respects, particularly its flat-roofed boxy profile, forming a somewhat unexpected contrast with the brick elevations. The monolithic nature of the resulting composition was fully intentional, presenting an abstract, “sculptural” overall look, says Cashin, the building being viewable from all sides due to its isolated location. The long, “low slung” rectangular ground floor is terminated by the cuboidal block housing the bedrooms, which cantilevers to the north side. In addition, “openings are carved” out of it, adding to the sculptural effect, particularly the rectangular oriel window that sits at the top of the stairwell framed like the other apertures by very slim, dark aluminium. Cashin says that looking at the


ADF DECEMBER 2020


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