A bold and playful refurbishment of a tired 1930s house, embracing sustainability and contemporary design in equal measure.
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2022
Hoole, Chester
Complete
CGMA
Webster Construction
Jack Roe
For this young family, the ambition was to create a light-filled, sociable home that balanced playful design with sustainable construction. The project centred on extending their Arts & Crafts house, respecting its character while introducing a contemporary, low-carbon addition.
The design takes cues from the original building, with arched doorways, patterned detailing and crafted brickwork reinterpreted in a modern language at the rear. The extension’s intentionally asymmetrical form, referencing the original Arts & Crafts style of the house, gives the façade a playful quality, which neighbouring alotment growers describe as the "winking" house.
Sustainability was integral to every decision. The new structure combines timber and steel framing, wrapped in high-performance insulation, vapour control layers and breathable membranes to reduce energy consumption, embodied carbon and increase air-tightness. Renewable technologies, including solar panels and an air-source heat pump, further reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and ensure the home’s long-term environmental performance.
Inside, the layout is designed for family life and hospitality alike: generous, open spaces allow for easy socialising, while natural light and carefully chosen materials create warmth and comfort.
The completed home is a vibrant blend of old and new—rooted in the Arts & Crafts tradition yet reimagined with modern sensibility. It is both practical and characterful, a place where sustainable design supports everyday living and where the family can flourish.