Sussex cottage extension improves functionality while respecting historic charm

What is the background to this project?

The project involved renovating and extending an existing cottage in the Barcombe conservation area, East Sussex, on a site looking over field land and out to the South Downs. It is for a young family, who wanted a renovation that would respect the historic charm of the Old Rectory Cottage while enhancing functionality and comfort.

Their brief included adding spacious living areas and ensuring efficient storage. Specific requirements included integrating modern design elements, sustainable practices, and creating a strong indoor-outdoor connection.

Our design focused on addressing circulation issues and enhancing accommodation while preserving the historic core. Key interventions included removing outdated extensions and adding an expansive sunroom and a sunken kitchen-dining room with panoramic views. The project aimed to create spacious, interconnected ground-floor focal points and an architecturally cohesive first-floor extension.

What conditions had an important influence on the design?

Significant factors included the need to preserve the historic core of the cottage, to comply with conservation area regulations, and to address circulation disruptions from previous extensions. Additionally, the project required balancing modern design with the building's historical context and incorporating sustainable practices within the budget constraints. An important aim was to significantly improve the property’s energy efficiency.

How was the outward appearance handled?

The external treatment involved contrasting materials, with responsibly sourced larch timber cladding treated with SiOO:X to create a more uniform appearance, and dark natural slate for the first-floor extension. This juxtaposition enhanced visual appeal and provided material separation between levels. The new volume features large sliding glazed doors, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor flow. The first-floor extension's slate cladding matches the existing roofing, while three zinc-clad dormer windows add light and a contemporary touch. Concealed box gutters create a seamless finish between the dormers.

And how are the remodelled interiors used?

Key features include a light-filled kitchen-dining area with panoramic views, an expansive sunroom with an oriel window and oak-clad seat, and a central hallway with a bespoke oak staircase. Built-in joinery maximises storage, creating practical living spaces.

The sunroom's oriel window creates a cosy oak-surrounded reading nook. A large sliding partition allows versatile use, separating the sunroom from the kitchen. The level change between the entrance and the sunken kitchen was intended to add drama, enhancing the ceiling height and complemented by full-height glazing which frames views out to the garden and the South Downs.

In the entrance hall, a bespoke oak staircase with black steel handrails and spindles stands as a centrepiece, incorporating some clever storage solutions. Beautiful concrete tiles add a practical and aesthetic touch. First-floor bedrooms are brightened by the large zinc-clad dormer windows.

What was your approach to sustainability?

Sustainability was a cornerstone of the project, with eco-conscious upgrades to both the new and existing structures. These included insulating existing walls, high levels of insulation in the new-build elements, passive solar design, underfloor heating powered by an air-source heat pump, and shading features to reduce solar heat gain. Materials were responsibly sourced, ensuring the project achieved optimal thermal performance while minimising environmental impact. A photovoltaic array in the adjacent field – and a battery – will give added onsite power generation of 10kWp to help reduce the dwelling’s electrical demands. All measures will increase the ‘demand side’ efficiency, reducing the strain on the national grid.

What was the main challenge you faced?

The main challenge was integrating modern extensions with the historic core while maintaining architectural cohesion. We achieved this by using contrasting materials to define new and old sections, and carefully designing new volumes to respect the original structure's charm. Strategic placement of new rooms and thoughtful material selection have ensured a seamless blend of contemporary and historic elements.

Do you have a favourite detail?

That’s the slimline sliding doors and their seamless integration with the timber-clad soffit and overhang of the rear terrace. The timber wraps elegantly down the facade and around the overhang, creating precise and uniform lines. This meticulous craftsmanship results in an incredibly satisfying and visually striking detail.

Stuart Paine is a director of HAPA Architects

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Key data

Total contract cost Private
Area of extension 113m² (229m² house renovation and extension)
Cost per m² £3,024 (excluding photovoltaics)