New Commission: Sketching a New Contemporary Home in West Sussex

Our clients currently live in a nondescript 1980s detached bungalow in West Sussex, in a private residential estate. The property may be out of date, but the location is timeless, right in the heart of the Chichester Harbour AONB.

With fields on their doorstep and a short walk to the waters of Ichenor Reach, our clients are keen to create a home that is equally as beautiful as its surroundings.

A fresh start

Their plan is to demolish the existing nondescript bungalow and replace it with an open plan, glass-flanked bungalow with a contemporary, flat-roofed design. To tie the new home in with its setting, local flint will provide texture and contrast to certain walls.

To reduce clutter in the main structure, we have proposed a separate utility building just a few steps away from the kitchen. All together, the new home forms a z-shape that creates a natural flow through from one room to the next.

The entire southeast wall of the open plan living space will be a façade of floor-to-ceiling sliding glass, opening directly onto a flush terrace, creating stunning panoramic views of the neighbouring farmland.

At 270 sqm, the new proposal is modest increase over the existing 200 sqm house, but the open plan internal layout and abundance of natural light will result in a home that feels enormous in comparison.

As the current bungalow has no architectural merit, we don’t anticipate any objections to its demolition. We are prepared for the new design to be closely scrutinised, however, as the site is located within an AONB and is designated as rural.

Despite the challenges, we’re confident that we will be able to prove the suitability of contemporary homes in rural settings, as we did with the award-winning Merimac.

This project is in its very earliest stages, and as such there isn’t much to show you beyond the sketch above and below, but we look forward to sharing more about the development as it progresses.

This project was outlined as part of our Feasibility Study. Click here to learn more about this exclusive service.