St Johns House

The site had been neglected for years. The previous owner had installed concrete foundations for a previously approved design but as their circumstances changed the full construction of the house never materialised. Rather than removing the previous foundations we decided to work with them and modify to suit our new design. This approach resulted in minimising groundworks, waste from the site and reusing what was already there. Inspired by the rich maritime history of Wivenhoe, the design employs a double-gable roof, timber cladding in a dark colour and metal cladding on the roof. Typology and materials forming a close link to local boat-building sheds.

After we've built her house in London, our client retuned and asked us to build her a light filled home in Wivenhoe, close to the Colne Estuary. A house to welcome friends, for art, for entertaining.
Our client found a plot in Wivenhoe, near to the river Colne, in an area formally home to ship-building yards. The brief was for a home for an artist, light filled, with room to work and to entertain. An energy efficient home, that minimises heating costs.

The house is broken down into two volumes, comfortable in their setting along St John Road. Buildings are laid out around a courtyard garden. The client’s brief asked to provide enough flexibility that the two volumes can be separated in the future. On ground floor large, glazed doors connect the living spaces to the outside. The first floor features different ceiling levels, creating a lower ceiling towards the front, with the house opening to a double-height vaulted space to the rear. On the upper levels, the rooms are defined by the geometry of the roofs, with open spaces, looking down into the open-plan living areas of the ground floor. Rooflights along the length of the building ensure the house features plenty of natural light across both levels.

The site is in the Lower Wivenhoe Conservation Area. The proposed design was aiming to reflect the rich maritime history and design language of the traditional boat-building sheds in the area. A lot of that design vernacular has been lost in the area in developments done in recent years and most of the historic buildings have been replaced. Extensive research was done on the history of the area and the buildings, existing and historic. With the aim to link a contemporary building to the rich history of the area.

Paul Archer Design