Steve Spencer of Glenn Howells Architects talks about their design for a House at Tump Bew Hill, Worcester

1. TUMP BEW HILL

2. SITE LOCATION [WYCHAVON DISTRICT COUNCIL]

3. D HOLDINGS AT HONEYBOURNE, DORSINGTON AND SPERNAL

4. HEART OF ENGLAND FOREST
The Heart of England Forest Project is a partnership between Warwickshire
landowner Felix Dennis, and the Heart of England Forest Ltd, a registered charity.
The aim of the partnership is to plant and preserve a large native broadleaf forest
in the heart of England.
To date, the heart of England Forest project has been responsible for acquiring
and planting 1,900 acres of land with native broadleaf saplings.
The woodland will seek to encourage woodland crafts, coppice and charcoal
production, camping, recreation and equestrian pursuits, bird watching, and
include a green burial and memorial site and educational facilities.

5. DESIGN BRIEF
To design an individual dwelling to sit within the emerging Heart of England
Forest, to be of the highest architectural quality, utlilising traditional skills and
materials available from the estate. Accommodation to include:-
1. Living accommodation for the main resident
2. Guest accommodation
3. Staff accommodation
4.Leisure accommodation
Overall floor area – circa 20,000sqft

6. PLANNING POLICY
Paragraph 11 of “Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in
Rural Areas” states:
“Very occasionally the exceptional quality and innovative nature of the design of a
proposed, isolated new house may provide this special justification for granting
planning permission. Such a design should be truly outstanding and ground-
breaking, for example, in its use of materials, methods of construction or its
contribution to protecting and enhancing the environment, so helping to raise
standards of design more generally in rural areas. The value of such a building will
be found in its reflection of the highest standards in contemporary architecture, the
significant enhancement of its immediate setting and its sensitivity to the defining
characteristics of the local area.”

7. SITE LOCATION AND LANDSCAPE CONSENT

8. E [ INCLUDING NEWLY PLANTED BROADLEAF SAPLINGS]
Stratford-Upon-Avon Neighbouring Farm

9. HOUSE LOCATION AND LANDSCAPE STRATEGY

10. CONCEPT DIAGRAM

11. SEPEARTED BUT LINKED ‘HOUSES’
GUEST
LIVING
STAFF/OFFICE
LEISURE

12. CONCEPT MODEL

13. EMERGING SECTIONS

15. SKETCH PLAN

16. PHYSICAL SITE MODEL

17. SECTION AND INTERNAL VIEWS

18. MADE REVIEW - JULY 2008
Proposals were presented to MADE in July 2008. The design proposals and
ambition of the project were generally well received by the panel. However, a
number of concerns were raised:
•Inconsistency between a secluded house and the intent expressed in PPS7 to
enhance the immediate setting. “The panel suggest that it might be possible to
provide carefully framed views out to the surroundings through openings in the
woodland.”
•Inconsistency between encouraging local skills for the construction of the house
and a roof structure which involves highly advanced technology. Such an
advanced type of roof is unlikely to be constructed by a local workforce.
•The practicality of the retractable glazed grid shell roof.
•The practicality of inhabiting the different rooms and spaces.
•Whether the indoor/outdoor climate of the proposed courtyard area can be
properly managed.

19. REVISED CONCEPT SKETCH

20. DESIGN EVOLUTION
Design One
Design Two

21. REVISED SITE PLAN

22. REVISED CONCEPT PLAN

23. REVISED FLOOR PLAN
Sketch Plan

24. KINETIC ROOF

26. SECTIONS
Section AA – Thatched Roof Closed
Section AA – Thatched Roof Open

30. ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Rainwater Collection
Naturally Ventilated
Green Roof
Timber sourced on site
where ever possible
Chlorine free natural swimming pool

31. TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION

32. CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
Axonometric
Plan Extract
Elevation Extract Section Extract

33. SOURCING ENERGY CROP FROM THE ESTATE
Coppice Willow

34. MADE REVIEW – SEPTEMBER 2008
Design Two proposals were reviewed by MADE in September 2008. The review
was very positive, whereby the proposed dwelling was felt to meet the test of
paragraph 11 of PPS7.
‘The moving thatched roof is not hidden within the landscape yet meets the PPS7
paragraph 11 criteria of enhancing the landscape by it’s approach to elegant
craftsmanship, quality of the design and use of materials within the estate’
‘The neutral carbon house was felt to be especially well crafted by the panel as
the energy supply meets the building’s needs in an inconspicuous manner. The
robustness, durability and flexibility of the spaces ensure that this house is
designed for the long term’