Weave House
This site is in flood zones 1, 2 and 3.
The proposed development is to replace an existing dilapidated house and
outbuildings with a state-of-the-art eco-friendly flood resilient property. The new
dwelling is sited so that the new owners can benefit from views over the River
Wid. The owners are healthy retirees who wish to create their forever home.
Pedestrian and vehicle access to the proposed dwelling is past a generous
rewilded garden that leads to the front door and garage; the access road rises
gently to provide a dry route to and from the property (for a small flood event).
The house spans both north and south gardens connected by a ramped spine. It
is the circulation that gives this house its character, rising in half storey
increments to connect all element that gently lift the main habitable rooms out
of the floodplain.
The entrance is at grade consisting of a generous lobby that connects to a
downstairs toilet/ boot room and utility/plant room. The owners can then choose
to take the stairs into the bedroom wing or alight the gently ramped spine that
leads towards the main living areas that are in the northernmost part of the site.
The main living space of kitchen, dining and living room are open plan with
generous views over the River Wid. A flight of stairs off the kitchen lead to the
first floor that contain the master bedrooms.
The southern part of the house is reached by the ramp that switches back from
the living area and contains the remaining two bedroom. These bedrooms
overlook the re-wilded garden.
The house has been designed with a range of sustainable surface water
management measures including a living roof, permeable driveway and
footpaths, a raingarden, plus additional landscaping which will reduce the
volume and rate of surface water runoff discharging from the site, thereby
reducing flood risk to surrounding land.
The property will be constructed above the ground on elevated mini-piles which
will not only provide protection to the new dwelling, but will also have minimal
effect on existing flood flow routes and storage, thereby not increasing the flood
risk to surrounding land. The dwelling has a smaller footprint than the existing
house (due to its elevation on piles) thereby increasing the flood storage
available in this area. Flood storage attenuation tanks are located beneath the
permeable driveway.
The gardens are to be rewilded which will provide a biodiversity net gain. The
includes an extensive Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDs), thereby
managing the water at source which reduces the impact of flood water on people
downstream in the village.
This bespoke home offers low energy design suitable for 21st century living
whilst adopting smart water resilient strategies that can act as future exemplar
for the area.
SITE COMING SOON
