New Forest House by PAD studio

New Forest House, Hampshire, was presented at the AT Awards live finals on 20 September 2023 to a jury comprising Simon Allford, Esther Robinson Wilde, Ed Jarvis, Amin Taha, Patrick Bellew, and Chair Lee Mallett. Read about how the project has stood the test of time.

Credit: Richard Chivers

Completed
2009

Designed by Pad Studio, New Forest House replaces an existing cottage set within Hampshire’s New Forest National Park. Located on a sloping site, the timber-clad house and adjacent annexe are linked by a concrete spine wall, which retains excavated earth from the basement and natural swimming pool. The self-contained annexe accommodates the client’s elderly parents and has been planned to allow a carer to live on site if required.

Natural, non-toxic, breathable materials have been used throughout the design. Surfaces are tactile enabling sensory placement for the visually impaired. Particular attention has been paid to the specification of low-maintenance materials and environmental systems, enabling the clients to easily manage their home in the future. The house includes a range of passive and active sustainable technologies, including ground source heating, photovoltaic panels, solar-thermal panels, sedum roofs, waste water treatment, and thermal mass.

Credit: Richard Chivers

Working with the clients, the architect conducted a 12-month PoE study measuring energy, temperature, and CO2. The house has an operational energy demand of 24 kWh/m2/year, bettering the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge target by nine per cent, and the 2021 Building regulations by 42 per cent. The embodied carbon value, including sequestration, is 43 per cent less than the current RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge and 2021 Building Regulations targets.

This project invested in what were future technologies at the time and demonstrates the importance of this and the ability to further invest and adapt as technologies develop, says the architect. Equally important is the way that the building has weathered and adapted to the landscape over the years, creating a close connection to its site and the surrounding context.