Intelligent design achieves a lot with minimal budget
ABIR Architects for Adas and Catherine Nicholson
Contract value: Confidential
GIA: 208m²
Here is what can be achieved on a minimal budget with intelligent design and close collaboration between architect, client and builder. The rear faces the beach with a fully glazed living space at first floor. The materials embed the building in its setting. Ground floor gabions are filled with pebbles dredged from a local channel. Sweet chestnut cladding is detailed with precision and is weathering well.
The building was set out to block sizes for speed of construction: it took two weeks to erect the ground floor walls, of gabions fixed to hollow Durisol block (recycled wood pallets) with insulation and concrete. The temporary stair used during construction was retained and overclad with plywood. Splashbacks are a lacquered paint finish. Polished concrete was unaffordable, so ‘polished concrete slurry’ was used on the walls and floor and is very successful.