Site Driven Design
The site; unique qualities reflecting the wider characteristics of the Blackdowns’ “Springline”
The wider site is clearly defined by existing landscape features of hedge, lane, woodland and marsh. On steeply sloping ground the amazing views are tempered by challenges to do with orientation, geology and landscape sensitivity.
A panoramic image of the site from the South side. The image distortion doesn't do justice to the steeply North sloping ground
The existing gateway on the Southwest side exposes driving qualities of site including Chert flint stone, Beech trees, hedge banks and the rusty ephemera of historical and modern agricultural activity
The existing Beech hedge on the West side gives clues about frame views of the landscape in amongst and archetypal seasonally managed landscape form.
The field is part of the wider Blackdowns AONB landscape and whilst its residents will enjoy that landscape, they also have a responsibility to make a contribution back also
The existing "threshold" tree at the Northwest entrance will be removed as part of site access works and find a new home as part of the house
The existing pines on the South west side are residual descendants of a plantation, recorded at its earliest time in the early nineteenth century Tythe maps
The Blackdowns' Springline can be precisley traced at a level of about 210m above sea level at the point where permeable sand meets impervious mud-stone, and the water can only go one way...
Whilst being built in open countryside the house will respect the clustering and pattern of dispersed houses on the Blackdowns
The 1834 Tithe Apportionment map shows a filed pattern different to what it is now, and at that time there was a defined planation in the location now proposed for the house
The location plan of "Steep" as it was known until recently.