Our project Heptonstall House is the subject of our latest film - A Passive Solar Home for Calderdale. The new film explores the home’s relationship with the site and climate and showcases the passive solar arrangement of the house.
The home is designed to maximise its relationship with the sun, capture dramatic views across the Calderdale valley & cater to the uniquely green-fingered lifestyle of two experienced gardeners.
Maximising the home’s relationship with the sun was vital to the home’s organisation and character. With the living spaces placed on the south end of the home to enjoy natural heating and sun whilst study and office spaces which benefit from diffuse north light were placed on that side of the home. The home was also organised to maximise the potential of the panoramic valley views of the site.
The unique material character of this area of West Yorkshire was explored throughout this bespoke family home with a number of grades of magnesian limestone, clean-cut and rough-edged as well as internal oak fixtures of a 4 storey spiral staircase which also acted as a ventilation stack to the home pulling hot air through the building.
The clients were keen gardeners and wished to integrate their home and garden, which we achieved through multiple accesses out from the home to its plot but also through extending the threshold between the home’s interior and the garden with a south-facing fully glazed orangery perfect for large tropical plants, potting and tomato crops.
