Despite being a ‘replacement dwelling’, the greenbelt location of this property overlooking a reservoir just outside of Sheffield meant a challenging planning context, and approval was gained by working closely with planning and design officers, developing a high quality contemporary design, which uses local natural materials and earth sheltered construction.

Local craftsmen used stone from the area for external walls, landscaping and boundaries. Using the material consistently maintained a coherent modulation from drystone walls, random rubble walling and fine ashlar work, complimenting more contemporary materials, detailing and clean cut interiors which were an essential part of the brief.

High levels of insulation, airtightness and heat recovery ventilation were incorporated to compliment passive solar and high thermal mass. Triple glazed roof windows bring light into the rooms below ground with minimal heat loss. An airsource heat pump was paired with under floor heating to reduce the long term cost and environmental impact.

As the landscaping and green roofs mature, embedding the building into the landscape, solar shading will be finely tuned, with detail design informed by real world measurement taken over the succeeding summers. The house takes advantage of the amazing views, with a number of terraces and panoramic windows overlooking the valley.