Project Outline:
To design and create a space that could be a gym & yoga space, with a home office, incorporating a state of the art sound and entertainment space for the family.

Design:
We worked with 2hd Architects on a larger design brief incorporating an extension on the house. Looking at ways to soften the structural work and encourage a flow and appreciation for the levels on the property. The extension did not go ahead, nether has the office as yet, but the garden room design works independently, benefiting from the extra scrutiny of linking it to the house design.

Build:
We immediately looked at designing a curved wall as an attempt to soften the structure and allow the build to flow over the sloping land. Initially we dug into the slope at the back of the garden as a way of increasing headroom inside.  

A large part of softening the build was including a green roof at the right angle to obscure the fencing and to allow the family to enjoy the changing colours.  We also softened the wall and view from the house by introducing ferns, heuchera’s and grasses in a MobilPanel green wall system.  The client also added a watering irrigation system to sustain the planting, optimise the water usage and minimise maintenance.

We decided early on that the cladding needed to have a soft feel, deciding on textured cedar shingles as a way of breaking up the vertical lines of the build.  We experimented with shaping each shingle by hand, playing with many ways of overlapping, until we arrived at a simple curved corner that was relatively simple and added to the sweeping form and  animated character. My favourite aspects of using the shingles are the simple solution of offset shingles for ventilation neatly tucked under the soft lead flashing and the feel of the cedar against the sleek black aluminium windows and folding doors from local company Klarheit. 

For the interior we reinforced the walls and rubber gym flooring with double joists and used the Swift Foundation system. The walls and ceiling were plastered and painted and fitted with surround sound speakers, remote screen and projector.  We increased the insulation and used a high performing snug fit tape that provided extra sound and heat insulation.  

Throughout this project we retained a simple layout so that the space could alter as the families needs changed. But for now its all about the gym and wellness.

Photography by Hettie Rowlands Creative.