Westleton Co-Housing; Collaborating with Glebe Meadow CIC 

As announced previously, Modece are collaborating on an innovative new co-housing scheme with Glebe Meadow CIC.

Glebe Meadow Westleton CIC is a Community Interest Company established in 2016 to buy a redundant Vicarage in the heart of Westleton, and to convert this into the social hub for a new co-housing development of 20 modern, age appropriate homes for locals aged 65+. Throughout the project, from initial feasibility to the developed design, the project team has worked together in a collaborative manner. 

Much like the social and inclusive ethos of the project itself, the design has developed while including and listening to as many people as possible along the way. Meetings and workshops have been held at key moments in the design process, which in turn has allowed for the brief to be developed in line with the requirements, and to be challenged, to ensure what is being designed is appropriate for both the site and the future users. 

During the process, countless designs have been explored, reviewed and critiqued. However, there were 3 key points at which the design was frozen for a period of time to gain wider public opinion. These 3 moments are shown in the diagram below.

DESIGN PROCESS SKETCH17062019.jpg

Glebe Meadow CIC & Modece have worked closely together throughout the project during which time the relevant professions where consulted. After the initial design phase, Iteration 1 was reached and  the council was consulted using their Pre-App advise services, following which the project entered a second design phase. This led to Iteration 2 which was put out to various public consultations of local groups as well as returning to the Council for a continuation of their Pre-App services. Phase 3 of the design process brought together all of the analysis and consultation that had come before and resulted in the Final Proposed Design for the site, which will be discussed in later blog posts.

New collaboration for innovative co-housing scheme

Modece has started a new collaboration with The Glebe Meadow Westleton Community Interest Company (GMWCIC) who are hoping to build a 20 dwelling co-housing scheme behind Westleton’s redundant vicarage. 

Concept design meeting. Left to right: Bob Jackson (GMWCIC), Ralph Carpenter (Modece), Sarah Quinlan (GMWCIC), Matthew Bell (Modece) and Juliet Bullimore (GMWCIC).

Concept design meeting. Left to right: Bob Jackson (GMWCIC), Ralph Carpenter (Modece), Sarah Quinlan (GMWCIC), Matthew Bell (Modece) and Juliet Bullimore (GMWCIC).

The housing is intended for locals aged over 65 as part of an initiative to tackle loneliness in the ageing population of rural areas. The proposal will include converting the vicarage itself into a social hub for residents to share. The building will provide spaces for communal cooking and eating as well as film and games rooms.

Sarah Quinlan, director of the GMWCIC, explains more in this article for the East Anglian Daily Times:

To read the full article click here

Cross Maltings Folly phase 1 completed

We are excited to say that phase 1 of the Cross Maltings Folly project is complete. Phase 1 included the restoration and renovation of a former stable with a folly facade. This part of the project will become the annex to the new dwelling that is to be built adjacent during phase 2 of the works. 

Architect Vacancy

Modece Architects are seeking a fully qualified Architect to join the team in early 2018. We are a small but busy practice based in Bury St Edmunds, working on a range of projects including residential, community, commercial and multi-use. We specialise in highly sustainable buildings and the use of eco friendly natural building materials - be it for a renovation of a historic building or a contemporary new build. Any prospective member of the team will share our values while having a desire to push the boundaries of Architecture. 

Interested? Please send your CV and Portfolio to studio@modece.com 

Modece Architects design principles

Sustainability in architecture is all about:

  • healthy buildings which are free from toxic emissions

  • airtight buildings which keep unwanted draughts out

  • superinsulation which keeps the building warm

  • breathable construction using natural materials which allows moisture to pass through the building fabric

  • solar shading using louvres and plants to reduce summer overheating

  • minimising water use by fitting low water demand appliances and taps

  • sourcing materials locally wherever possible

  • natural and renewable energy like wood for heating, and wind and sun for electricity generation

  • rainwater capture for use in the building (washing machines and wcs) and to irrigate gardens

  • reed beds to treat sewage on site

  • re-using buildings wherever possible to avoid waste

  • designing buildings so that they are easy to deconstruct using minimal energy and creating as little waste as possible

Clayhill Farm active systems and materials exploded diagram

Clayhill Farm active systems and materials exploded diagram

Modece wins 'greenest building' award

We are proud to announce that we have won the 'Greenest Building' award for The Woodshed at the Suffolk - Creating the Greenest County Awards.

Recent changes in government legislation have made it possible to convert agricultural buildings to dwellings and ‘The Woodshed’ is one of the first in Babergh to be completed, and probably the first to be a zero carbon conversion.  It shows how very low energy buildings can be achieved – a real trailblazer.  - judges comments -

Now in their ninth year, the Creating the Greenest County Awards are an annual event that highlight the excellent environmental achievements that are being carried out across the county. Communities, businesses, schools and individuals, from protecting our natural landscape to developing innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions, everyone is doing their bit to help make Suffolk the greenest county.

 

An Architecture Inspired by Hemp

Director of Modece Architects Ltd, Matthew Bell, delivered a lecture to the Franco-British Union of Architects (FBUA) at their annual meeting, this year held in Plymouth, UK. The lecture explored the results of a three month study into the affect of the construction material hemp-lime on the design of buildings in France through history.

The study revealed that the material has altered the method of construction and some technical details but has had little affect on architectural design. The report raises questions to whether hemp-lime is being used to its greatest potential or if it currently limited to the constraints of traditional construction methods that support and frame it. 

Prior Approval for 'off-grid' home

Brambles Barn off-grid house prior approval agricultural building to dwelling

We have just received word that our application for Prior Approval for this 75m2 agricultural barn to be converted to a dwelling has been successful. This is great news as it if one of the first examples of using the new Prior Approval laws to gain planning permission for a dwelling in the Mid-Suffolk area. To date the local council has resisted such developments but ours will hopefully lead the way for many more to follow. Our application included an extensive argument based on case law and a strong evidence base. It was worth it in the end as this will one day soon be a beautiful new house for the owners. Better still it will be completely off the national grid, producing its own energy on the site. 

Our next job is to start the detailed design and detailing of this building to ensure it lives up to its expectations. As always here at Modece, it will be highly efficient, built with natural materials and be an extremely healthy place to live. 

Keep an eye on the blog as we'll keep it up to date with the progress on this project, Brambles Barn.

Sustainability in architecture is all about:

healthy buildings which are free from toxic emissions

airtight buildings which keep unwanted draughts out

superinsulation which keeps the building warm

breathable construction using natural materials which allows moisture to pass through the building fabric

solar shading using louvres and plants to reduce summer overheating

minimising water use by fitting low water demand appliances and taps

sourcing materials locally wherever possible

natural and renewable energy like wood for heating, and wind and sun for electricity generation

rainwater capture for use in the building (washing machines and wcs) and to irrigate gardens

reed beds to treat sewage on site

re-using buildings wherever possible to avoid waste

designing buildings so that they are easy to deconstruct using minimal energy and creating as little waste as possible

Clayhill Farm energy ratings are nearly off the chart!

We are somewhat taken aback by the design stage energy efficiency rating and environmental impact rating that we have achieved for Clayhill Farm eco dwelling in Lavenham. By using super-insulative natural materials such as hemp, sheeps wool and wood fibre we have created a highly efficient building envelope that doesn't cost the earth. Hempcrete is cast into an inner studwork leaf to provide thermal mass to the internal spaces. An outer studwork leaf is filled with sheep wool and then the whole wall is wrapped with wood fibre board to ensure no cold bridging.

Planning approval for eco dwelling under NPPF55

In exceptional circumstances, planning permission may be granted for houses in the open countryside under clause 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework, formerly known as PPS7 Houses.

The criteria to meet these standards are very onerous. Clause 55 states that a new dwelling in the countryside will only be allowed under special circumstances, namely where the design is of exceptional quality or innovative, thereby helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas;  reflect the highest standards in architecture;  significantly enhance its immediate setting; and  be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area.

We have just obtained planning consent after appeal for a house near Lavenham under this clause. It is one of the first houses in England to be granted approval under clause 55.