The Medic’s House by AR Design Studio
Commissioned by two Winchester based Doctors; The Medic’s House is the latest extension project by AR Design Studio.
Description by AR Design Studio
Upon the arrival of their new baby daughter, the need for additional family space meant that the client’s existing 1950s three bed house desperately needed extending. The brief called for two additional bedrooms upstairs and a large open-plan family space with light, views and access to the beautiful garden at ground floor.
AR Design Studio’s solution was to create a large charcoal grey living box at ground level with a full height glazed opening elevation to the garden. A timber clad sleeping pod is perched above at first floor level providing the additional bedrooms.
At ground floor level the extension contains a utility, WC, kitchen, dining room and lounge area, fitted with 3 large eco-friendly sliding glass panels creating an uninterrupted view of the garden. The flush threshold and continuous floor surface enhance this connection with the garden by allowing the internal space to flow seamlessly out into it on warmer days.
The walls are constructed from super insulated block and oversized insulated cavities ensuring a very thermally efficient envelope. Large opaque glass panels to the sides allow etch light to enter deep into the plan of the space. The structure is hidden in strategically placed fins that suggest living zones within the open-plan space.
Upstairs, the western red cedar clad addition consists of a generous master suite with a separate dressing area and one other additional bedroom. This upper box is also fabricated in timber, allowing for a light weight structure that reduces the need for unsightly columns beneath. The construction contains over 250mm of insulation which AR felt was important at the upper level. This approach to construction was also carried through into the over insulated single-ply roof.
The fenestration was resolved as a series of verticals that celebrate the depth of the walls with a combination of recessed and flush frameless windows. The overall composition was influenced by the ancient Greek theory of the ‘Golden Section’ in order to provide a well-balanced and proportioned rear elevation.
AR Design Studio is a RIBA certified architects practice, based in Winchester, Hampshire, specialising in the delivery of elegant and imaginative contemporary new homes, extensions, renovations and mulit-plot developments. AR Design Studio’s architectural expertise and flair has been continuously recognised by winning a number of prestigious industry awards such as the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) 2012 Downland Prize, Civic Trust Award, Best of Houzz Award, Federation of Master Builders Award and Daily Telegraph Small House of the Year Award. With a comprehensive knowledge of planning, AR Design Studio has built a stunning portfolio of completed residential projects. It is also a specialist designer of waterfront homes with a deep understanding of how to fully experience the light, sound and atmosphere water creates.
