Bangor Replacement Dwelling
Located behind a large 1930s farmhouse just outside the city of Bangor, this project is for the replacement of a small derelict cottage dating back to 1909 and in use until the 1960s (highlighted in red in the aerial photograph below).
The design concept began as a series of three independent masses to break down the massing of the new architectural form, and to create a proportionally scaled continuation of the aesthetic of farm outbuildings. As the design developed the principal house elements conjoined in a T-formation, allowing the house to maintain an efficient and narrow overall footprint, and to minimise the visual massing of the property from any vantage point. This T has been orientated on the site to make the most of sunlight to the south, whilst orientating the principal living spaces to maximise views to the west. A double garage makes up the third massing element, sitting immediately behind the existing buildings. This features a simple garage space with twin doors, with a small office space above accessed via a traditional barn-like external staircase.
A simple material palette has been selected to help the new building sit within the context of the existing farm buildings, utilising white render to the majority of the external walls and natural blue slate to the roof, with some areas of external wall being faced with natural stone to help add some decorative variety to the external finishes whilst continuing the traditional agricultural language.
The fenestration is split into small domestic windows to the north elevation, with a mixture of larger barn-like openings to the south, east and west elevations to capitalise on views to the west and sunlight from the south whilst minimising heat loss to the north.
A simple floor plan helps maintain the efficiency of space for the new property, with principle rooms to the extremities of the T-form, and hallway, bathroom and service spaces sitting within the centre of the T where daylight is more limited and where services (hot water & drainage) can be nucleated for efficiency.
Planning permission was granted in May 2024.
