Meonstoke High Street house, South Downs home, Southampton property, English National Park building images

Meonstoke House: South Downs Property, Hampshire

22 August 2024 + 20 August 2020

Architects: Studio BAD

Locatopn: Meonstoke, Hampshire, England

Photos by Richard Chivers

Holly Cottage, England

Holly Cottage is a beautifully executed contemporary extension on a Grade II Listed cottage situated in the rural village of Meonstoke, Hampshire. The owners wanted to adapt the house to better suit their lifestyle, as the historic characteristics of the ground floor layout didn’t really suit how they lived, especially since starting a family. The kitchen felt small, there wasn’t a natural place for them to gather together and the garden felt disconnected from the home.

The house had previously been extended with a small addition at the rear, but with no back door it made the layout complicated and the only way to access the garden was to go via the dining room. As the owner’s family grew, to include a second child and a dog, the layout of the house and especially the access to the home became harder and more chaotic to live with.

The owners wanted to create a spacious kitchen with dedicated space for a dining table the whole family could sit around, they wanted a practical entrance to the house with space for coats and push chairs, a separate utility room, a dedicated space to work from home and finally they wanted to add a guest bedroom suite.

We knew that any alternations would be tricky to get approval for, due to the property being Listed and also its prominent position the village High Street with close neighbours on either side. We approached the planning process by creating close consultation with a specialist planning consultant and the local planning department; by engaging with the planning department at an early stage it was possible to have an open and honest conversation about how to alter the house to fit their needs. Initially the conservation office had reservations on our proposed designs, so taking onboard these comments we rectified the design to move the extension away from the sensitive rear elevation, which needed additional groundworks but resulted in less disruption to the cottage with more of the rear elevation to be left visible.

We were keen to make the extension deliberately contemporary, making a clear distinction between the original house and the new addition. The single-story addition is crafted out of bricks punctuated by large glazed openings, at the link to the original building we topped it with a contemporary zinc roof that acts as the ‘stich’ between old and new, complete with a large lantern skylight drawing natural daylight deep into the house. A sedum green roof is installed over the remaining flat roof extension roof, blending the new addition into the surroundings and creating pleasant views from the upper floors of the original house, it was also important to the owners to add additional biodiversity into the design of their home.

The extension is a in contrast to the original home, offering light filled rooms that offer a feeling of space and connection to the outside. The kitchen is now reconfigured, now it is an open plan kitchen connecting the extension and original property, finished with a wonderful dining space positioned under the large skylight and large bi-fold doors. This is a wonderful space for the whole family to meet and socialise in, a bright open space with direct access to the extended terrace.

We have created a relaxed family living room, often used as a children’s play area, ideally placed with visually connection to the kitchen to make the layout practical for family life. Large glazed openings are introduced along the side elevation, which can fully open to create seamless integration to the garden.

Externally the garden has been rationalised, with a new garage and extended garden terrace creating a perfect extension of the home. During the work the clients decided to replace and reposition the rundown garage, which had blocked the view to the garden. The new garage also is installed with an outdoor garden office so they now have a dedicated space away from the house to work from home, but it has been designed to future proof the house and can be reconfigured as an guest annex to allow the owners to invite guests or family to stay for longer periods within the more independent and self-sufficient space. Externally the replacement garage is clad in black timber to echo the local vernacular, and to soften the structure into the surroundings.

Before this work the family didn’t fully engage with the garden as it was difficult to get into and there were no clear views from the house, making it an impractical space with small children to supervise. The garden was often just a space to walk through, but now it the garden has been connected to the home visually and physically the whole family can really enjoy the garden, and it has become an additional ‘room’ to use.

Meonstoke House: South Downs Property Extension – Building Information

Project Title: Holly Cottage
Client: Private
Architect: Studio BAD – https://studiobad.co.uk/
Engineer: Webb Yates
Contractor: Darcy Construction

Photo credit: Richard Chivers
Gross Floor area:167.72sqm + 41sqm for annex
Location: Meonstoke, Hampshire, UK
Status: Completed
Project start date: November 2019
Project completion date: December 2023
Cost: £350,000

Photogrphy: Richard Chivers

Location: High Street of Meonstoke, a village in the heart of the Meon Valley, South Downs National Park, near Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK

Holly Cottage Extension

Meonstoke High Street House Extension

Studio B.a.d where appointed in September 2019 to undertake a detailed feasibility study of Holly Cottage a listed house which sits in Meonstoke High street in the heart of the South Downs national park

The feasibility study was commissioned to review how the existing house is used by the family and how it might accommodate, the extended family members and how it responds to the garden and immediate landscape.

The feasibility study is a strategic exercise in reviewing the key requirement’s of the family and the wider opportunities, to exploit the potential of the site and beautiful garden. Its also an opportunity to create greater flexibility within the the plan layout and its relationship to the garden and maximizing long views looking East down the mature garden, lined with flint walls.

The design strategy has been to review and respond to the existing conditions, which currently exist within both the house and the landscape. The challenge has been to look at a number of design ideas, which have been presented to the conservation officer, in detailed dialogue to establish a positive process.

Studio B.a.d along with our Heritage and planning consultant experts, entered into a series of pre application discussions, working through a number of sketch proposals, reaching successful common ground with the South Downs national park.

A series of options where carefully created, considered and presented, to look at the type of form, material and detailed composition of the various extensions. The response has been to the existing situation of the sensitive nature of the local vernacular. These options seek to address the excellent position the house holds, with regards to solar orientation. So the options have sought to maximize both the wonderful long views across the site whilst looking to harness the opportunities for a new stand alone annex and study / office space.

As well as the elevational treatments, being carefully considered, with the use of local brick and stained timber. There has been an element of exploiting and opening up the current floor plan condition around the kitchen, to open up views to the flint lined garden.

The final proposal submitted for planning has sought at all levels, to engage with the garden, by looking to open up possibilities for the various spaces to exploit the mature surrounding landscape and its relationship to the house and new extension, annex, garage and home office / study.

Meonstoke House: South Downs Home Extension – Property Information

Holly Cottage Extension
Architecture Practice: Studio B.A.D Architects
Project: Contemporary Extension + Annexe + Home Office
Time Scale: Nov 2019 – Ongoing
Budget: £250,000

Holly Cottage Extension – Meonstoke Property in the South Downs images / information received 100820 from Studio B.A.D Architects

Location: High Street of Meonstoke, Meon Valley, South Downs National Park, near Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK

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Comments / photos for the Meonstoke House: South Downs Property design by Studio B.A.D Architects near Southampton, Hampshire, southern England, United Kingdom, page welcome