Hop Cottage: East Sussex

New build house within the garden of a grade II listed farmhouse.

The project deals with an emerging trend of families pooling their assets to live more economically together in old age.  Built for the client’s parents both families have got a much larger house than could be afforded independently while providing economical care and support for everyone involved.

The tight planning constraints of the grade II listed site and surrounding buildings helped from the layout and massing of the building which is largely concealed behind the perimeter wall of the property.  The layout and orientation of the cottage has been designed to give the right level of proximity and privacy for both families so that parts of the garden can be shared while providing private space for everyone.

The new cottage has been designed to reference the form and materials of the farmhouse and traditional barns in the region with careful attention to the roof and eaves detailing which became one of the key design features of the house.