Vann Water, Ockley, Surrey.

The replacement of a rundown edwardian villa with a modern three storey contemporary family residence.

The site overlooks vannwater lake, set within a wood and is located within an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The site is heavily wooded at its entrance with a gradual fall down towards the lake.

The existing house was located centrally on the site, with no connection to its surroundings and

very little landscaping.

The house was subsiding and required either to have significant structural underpinnings or to be  replaced or reloacted.

The owner runs a business from home and with offices in south London, a showroom for the business was also needed to be accommodated on the site.

The existing attic was a home to bats, which needed to be rehoused, they have been given a new home in the new offices/showroom within the surrounding woodland.

A scheme was drawn up by a local draftsman which obtained planning approval for a modern two storey dwelling. The client came to us, dissatisfied with the design.

We remodelled and developed the scheme into a three storey home with six bedrooms, library, playroom, games room, cinema, gym+wetroom suite.

At the centre of the design is a grande chimney with fireplaces on each floor, the rooms and circulation revolve around it: the focus of the home.

There are terraces/balconies from all the bedrooms, with bathrooms set floating ‘within the forest canopy’.

The house is entered via a bridge over a Koi Carp ‘moat’.

The landscaping was designed by Diarmuid Gavin

The centre pivoted front door leads you into a grand hallway with a galleried library to the first floor.

The hallway links all the various elements of the house which is full of surprises.

The rational exterior does little to reveal the variety of spaces and rooms within.

“Couldn’t be happier; completed on budget – and a day early. The whole experience was amazing.

The house felt like our home from the day we moved in, and we still can’t believe it’s ours.”

:client