Furze Cottage

Jersey Design Awards 2013 ‘Winner’ – Best landscape architecture project in relation to the built environment in collaboration with Anthony Paul Landscape Design.

This cottage, listed as a Site of Special Interest during the application procedure, was originally built as the summer house of a former Bailiff of Jersey.

The scheme involved the careful extension of the cottage by the utilisation of the originally inaccessible attic space, as well as the construction of a new earth covered structure to the South of the building excavated from the original hillside. This more modern intervention is linked to the original listed structure by the use of a structurally glazed link which allows light to flood into the rear of the house through the glass roof.

The scheme also involved the establishment of a vehicular access to the site and the provision of a new underground car park, all designed to be achieved in the most sensitive of ways. The roof of the car park has been landscaped to create an Arts and Crafts style cottage garden, which conceals the parking area from the original pedestrian access to the house.

The overall scheme was developed to maximise living areas in the least visually impacting manner. The house was thoughtfully designed, incorporating a mixture of carefully-devised, contemporary details and more historic features in local, traditional materials. The result is a charming and sensitive response to the site.