The development sits in a prime residential location in Hale, Cheshire, within the South Hale conservation area. Approaching through the extensive front driveway that separates this scheme from the road, the building impressively reveals itself offering a secluded, exclusive feel.
The external form has been divided into a one storey element to the South and a rectangular shaped two storey element with a rooftop pavilion to the North. This composition is towards the northeast side of the plot to maximise the south facing garden and to respect the predominant two storey plus roof of the immediate vicinity. The rooftop pavilion sits back from the parapet to erode the appearance and form of the building.
The entrance to the apartment building is via an impressive triple-height external courtyard, the central feature of the design. Positioned at the “knuckle” of the building, it connects and provides access to the two wings of the structure. The courtyard is conceived as a serene transition experience, giving residents the sensation of “entering their home through a sanctuary.” It also fosters a sense of individuality and ownership, creating a distinct feeling of “coming home” to a private space.
The appearance and the design of the building has been informed by modernism not minimalism and embraces a contemporary lifestyle without imposing a code of conduct for living. The development incorporates robust spaces that suit all aspects of the domestic spectrum. Exterior merges with interior, building merges with landscaping, spaces are studied exercises in volumetric interplay and light is manipulated by transparency and reflection.
The structured plan form and controlled simple elevational treatment creates simple, understated calm dwellings that maximises the assets of the site, its surrounding landscape, and views. The proposed materials are chosen to complement each other, creating a contemporary expression whilst being harmonious with the location and the surrounding buildings without resorting to pastiche.
It is felt that this limited and muted palette of materials, with contrasting textures and colours, creates an elegant and timeless scheme with a distinctive presence within the site, whilst being discreet from the road.
Whilst the form and expression are unashamedly contemporary, the quality and design are of the highest quality. This is entirely conducive to its time in history and its setting within the landscape. The bold, robust forms, with deep set reveals, help to express the carved solidity and sculptural quality of the architecture.
The four apartments are arranged within the building to provide the maximum privacy from neighbouring dwellings and each of the four self-contained apartments, whilst the building reads as one large house. The layout has been developed to both enhance and increase the external space available to the proposed apartments.