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Past to the Present
Bringing old buildings up to modern standards can be one of the biggest challenges facing architects and designers as this tough project demonstrated...
The refurbishment of existing buildings to satisfy modern environmental performance standards is one of our most pressing challenges. This project required the complete revitalisation of a 1960's deckhouse at Emsworth Yacht Harbour near Portsmouth into a highly sustainable holiday home.
It was the kind of project that London-based firm Black Architecture specialise in – creating the best possible aesthetic and functional design but with built-in sustainability credentials that go way beyond the norm.
Paul Hinkin, Managing Director of Black Architecture, explains: “Working with an existing building was a little more unusual for us and the priority was to identify ways of making it fit for purpose.”
In this particular project, the building was stripped back to its frame, super-insulated and made airtight to a standard in excess of new-build regulations.
Thermally efficient windows with integral blinds minimise heat loss and control unwanted solar gains. On the roof a 2.1 Kwp photovoltaic array and an evacuated tube solar collector provide renewable electricity and hot water with excess power exported to the grid.
The interior incorporates extensive use of bespoke built-in furniture, inspired by yacht design, with a limited palette of materials and full height openings to make the compact 50m2 layout feel spacious and light.
Simple detailing and a unified flooring throughout the property all help to create the ‘TARDIS' effect that Hinkin was looking for.
The bathroom is a striking black glass cube whilst in the kitchen, furniture from Howdens Joinery have been customised with handle sections designed by the architects and sustainable materials have been used throughout, including stainless steel which is not only thin but is partly made from crome-plated mild steel waste.
Overall, the interior space bears similarities in style and feel to the ultra-modernist architecture of Danish designer Arne Jacobsen. This is no coincidence as it is a style that Hinkin has a lot of time for having studied Scandinavian design. “It is something I'm very keen on. It has a lot of relevance and also has a very human take on sustainability. Of course, when the ideas were first developed they were based mainly on making use of available materials rather than the broader sustainability issues we tend to think of now, but the principles of space and maximising light are very significant ones today.”
In fact, Jacobsen's touch is literally present in this property – the Vola taps that were specified are his own timeless design.
The scheme incorporated a very simple palette of materials and colours – something that extends to the outside of the building too, although this was partly a forced decision. The original building – in keeping with the neighbouring properties – is black and white, so there were restrictions that ensured this had to be largely maintained.
This refurbished deckhouse creates a sustainable ‘staycation' solution providing carbon-neutral holiday accommodation for up to seventeen weeks each year and turning a limited occupancy building into one that can now comfortably be used all year round.
For Hinkin, it serves as a useful yardstick not just for his practice – which seldom works on purely residential projects - but also for the UK's outlook on housing stock in the future. “For us, it was a project that gave us a great chance to understand small buildings in great detail and to regenerate an existing property, giving it a long life,” he explains. “It was small enough to take on as an intellectual problem to solve, but also had plenty of bigger issues to tackle in terms of sustainability. It's all about heating, lighting, cooling and ventilation.”
“The biggest challenge in the UK is to regenerate and enhance existing housing. People tend to prioritise new build when really there is much more work to be done in raising the standards and maximising use of current buildings.
“That's why this particular project was so exciting for us.”
Black Architecture www.black-architecture.com
