Hay Farm, Therfield- Barn Demolition and Replacement 4-Bedroom Dwelling
Hay Farm
A new-build sustainable bespoke home
Scheme
4-bedroom family home
Location
Hertfordshire
Hay Farm is a new family home within the village of Therfield in Hertfordshire. This proposal looks to demolish an existing storage barn on the site and replace it with a 4-bedroom farmhouse dwelling, garage, and associated landscaping.
The proposal is designed to sit within the footprint of the existing barn structure on the site and we have designed it to shadow the architectural principles from the form of the existing barn i.e., the proposed farmhouse is as tall and wide as the existing barn, as well as the roof design being pitched.
Materials for this proposal have been selected for longevity and durability as well as recoverability and recyclability at end of life. To minimise potential sources of indoor air pollution, low VOC materials, paints and finishes have been prioritised where possible. To reduce embodied carbon of the proposed development, materials with recycled content will be prioritised during detailed design stage specification.
The ‘concrete look’ base of the proposal will be built out of a sustainable alternative to blockwork which will then be rendered over with Clayworks cement free render which is a 100% natural material. This is a much more sustainable alternative to concrete. For the cladding at first floor, we are proposing to use anthracite grey GreenCoat PLX standing seam cladding which is a much more sustainable alternative to a zinc cladding. GreenCoat PLX is colour coated steel which uses a patented bio-based coating of Swedish rapeseed oil instead of traditional fossil oil in the paint. This material will also be used on the window reveals with their Metallic Copper product.
One of the main design drivers for the scheme is to create a self-sufficient, zero-carbon property. The proposal would harvest its energy and water on-site and would deal with all its waste. The proposal overall, would not cause any detrimental impact on the character of the area but would rather promote a healthy ecosystem where the grey water recycling reed beds will allow for on-site waste management as well as serve as a habitat for some aquatic species.
