01964 544480 / info@samuelkendall.co.uk
Speedwell Access House
Walkington, East Riding of Yorkshire
2014
A breathtaking extension & adaptation of an existing suburban family dwelling in Walkington, East Yorkshire.
In most dwellings in the UK, disability of any kind is seen as a hindrance and seldom catered for. Speedwell house breaks with this abhorrent attitude placing the needs of the client at the heart of the building. Primary to this strategy were the installation of a covert lift negating the need for stairs, an adaptable kitchen layout with mobile island unit and a careful attention to the quality of light and texture of interior finishes throughout.
♢ Domestic Lift Integrated Subtly Into Family Home
♢ New Extension Maximising Solar Gain
♢ Suburban Village Context
Sustainability Strategy
Suburban development is sadly seldom designed to achieve any sustainable goals being motivated solely by market value, bedroom numbers, parking and the economics of scale and standardisation. At SKA we aim to remedy and enhance every existing building we work on and at Speedwell access house in Walkington we achieved a home that catered to the distinct needs of accessibility and standards of living that the existing suburban box could not meet. Achieving a sustainable home is about more than sustainable-sourced materials, embodied carbon or a coherent passive energy strategy. If one can design a home that caters for a family throughout the children's youth and through retirement, you remove the need of moving house or building further homes to meet changing needs of space and accessibility. A covert lift in this home remove this inherent issue ensuring a home worthy of the lifetime homes goal. Of course, passive strategies through a stack space, exposed thermal mass heat storage and great levels of natural light were also integrated into the home’s renovation. Reclaimed brickwork to match the existing suburban home lowered the embodied carbon in the extension and a timber sloping roof added carbon sequestration and optimise the home for solar gain and natural lighting.
