Cabbage Moor
Great Shelford, Cambridge
Substantial alterations were carried out to this existing house, both internally and externally. Originally a dormer bungalow, this project has introduced new front and side gables, giving the house a far more attractive and coherent appearance with a more vertical emphasis, while barely increasing the footprint of the building. The works included the addition of external insulation and render, with subsidiary elements in contrasting timber. Together these external changes significantly add to the character of what was originally a relatively plain building, while the additional insulation has significantly improved its thermal performance.
"Archangel had so many clever ideas to bring light into this tired dark bungalow that would never have occurred to us."
Along with these extensions, the layout of the interior has been re-imagined. This resulted in moving the kitchen from the back to the front of the house to form part of an open plan kitchen dining room, with views in three directions; this now forms the hub of family life. This is complimented by a snug to the side of the house, where the family can hunker down on a winter evening, and a larger living room opening into the rear garden. Upstairs, the house now has five bedrooms, including one newly created in the loft.
At ground floor level, a number of other changes has provided a more successful integration between the building and its surroundings. At the front, the entrance hall has been extended and the front door placed at an angle to the main geometry so as to directly address approaching visitors; this allows for a much more hospitable process of entry and welcome, both externally and internally. At the rear, generous double doors have been added from the dining area into the garden, and a semi-glazed verandah has been wrapped around this part of the building, allowing a more graduated transition between outside and inside. The result is a house that is now a warm and welcoming home that is well-fitted to the life of this growing family.
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